Few people get prison time after 2016 Portland protests

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) – Portland officials say more than half of the 200 people arrested during protests after last year’s presidential elections were not prosecuted, and many cases were dismissed altogether.
 
Chief Deputy District Attorney Kirsten Snowden tells the Oregonian/OregonLive that the high number of cases led her office and the Police Bureau to focus on the most dangerous offenders from the protests.
 
Eleven people have already been convicted for crimes such as threatening people or property. Eleven others are still heading to trial.
 
Prosecutors say they agreed to drop misdemeanor charges against 43 others accused of non-violent crimes and allowed them to pay fines or do community service instead.
 
Six defendants were acquitted or had their cases were dismissed before their trials.