California Professor Sentenced to One Year for Killing Jewish Protester in LA Clash

A California court sentenced 53-year-old Professor Louie Abdel Fattah Alnaji to one year in prison and two years probation for the involuntary manslaughter of 69-year-old Jewish protester Paul Kessler in November 2023. The incident occurred during simultaneous pro-Palestinian and pro-Israel demonstrations in Thousand Oaks, near Los Angeles. Alnaji, a computer science lecturer of Jordanian descent at a community college, struck Kessler on the head with a megaphone, causing him to fall and hit the pavement. Kessler died from his injuries the following day.

Alnaji pleaded guilty last month to involuntary manslaughter and assault causing serious bodily injury, acknowledging he "personally caused serious injury" and used a weapon against a vulnerable victim. His defense argued the confrontation was accidental, claiming Kessler aggressively pressed his phone toward Alnaji's face, prompting an unintended strike with the megaphone. They also noted Kessler had a brain tumor that worsened his injuries. Alnaji is scheduled to begin his sentence on August 7.

The district attorney's office in Ventura County opposed the lenient sentence, stating Kessler "lost his life in a violent attack that took him from his family and wife of 43 years," and called for a longer prison term. Kessler's widow, Cheryl, expressed profound grief over the sudden and violent loss.

Jewish organizations and community leaders sharply criticized the light punishment. Joshua Brett of the Anti-Defamation League called the ruling "a slap on the wrist" disproportionate to the crime's severity, warning it sends a message that assaulting someone over political disagreements, especially related to Israel, can go unpunished. Eliza Levine from the Campaign Against Antisemitism emphasized the need for the justice system to deter rising antisemitic violence. Legal advisor Gerard Piliti described the sentence as perceived by many as "disregard for Jewish lives."