Protester Cleared of Assaulting Police Officer

Local resident Brandon Bell was cleared of assaulting a police officer and other charges during last summer’s protests over the George Zimmerman verdict that cleared a white man in the shooting of an unarmed 17-year-old black boy.

“We are extremely pleased with the City Attorney’s decision to drop the charges against Brandon who was merely exercising his right to protest when he was wrongfully accused,” said Jamon R. Hicks, an attorney with the Cochran Firm.

At a Nov. 1 hearing, Deputy City Attorney Brad Rothenberg dropped all charges against Bell, who is a Princeton University graduate and a local  resident. The charges were dropped in furtherance of justice.

Bell, 24, was arrested on July 16 for allegedly punching a Los Angeles Police Officer during a protest in Mid-City over the not guilty verdict of Zimmerman who had stood accused in the 2012 fatal shooting of Trayvon Martin in Florida.

Bell, who pled not guilty to all charges, had faced one count of battery on a police officer, disobeying orders from a police officer and resisting arrest, according to court documents.

Police claimed Bell was among a group of demonstrators who refused to leave when ordered to do so, then allegedly punched an officer when protesters reached the police skirmish line. Bell was later taken into custody after allegedly resisting arrest.

 Jamon R. Hicks is a senior trial attorney at the Cochran Firm’s Los Angeles office. Hicks has a unique experience of practicing in the areas of civil litigation and criminal defense, representing plaintiffs in state and federal courts. His civil litigation experience involves wrongful death, serious personal injury and police misconduct cases. He also has litigated numerous felony and misdemeanor criminal cases, such as attempted murder, assault and battery on peace officers, criminal threats, drug and gun possession, driving under the influence and juvenile adjudications.