The charges against most of the people arrested during the protests in downtown Spokane last year have been dropped

SPOKANE – Most of the charges people faced in connection with the protest that turned into a riot in downtown Spokane a year ago have been dropped, court records show.

23 people were arrested in connection with the May 31, 2020 event in Spokane. The majority of these individuals have been charged with offenses such as disorderly conduct or malicious mischief in Spokane City Court.

According to court records, 13 people have dismissed charges. Three people’s charges have been dismissed with prejudice, which means the case cannot be brought back to court. Court records show no charges against any of the people arrested according to Spokane police.

Four people were given a detention order stating that the charges would be dropped if they did not break the law within a specified time.

Six suspects have lawsuits pending or have been found guilty.

Rosemariaeh aka Corrine Brown, then 19, was charged with not dispersing. She did not appear in court and now has an arrest warrant for her.

Zaxch Hasbrouck, 55, was charged with second degree malicious mischief when he was arrested. He also has an arrest warrant for him after failing to appear in court.

Gene Gallagher, then 33, was charged with arson and second-degree attack with a lethal weapon for allegedly throwing a Molotov cocktail at the police. His trial is currently scheduled for July 19th.

Steven Tharaldson, then 40, was charged with arson and commercial burglary, and those charges were “uncontested” in late June.

Nathan Thomason, 36, was charged with misconduct and obstruction of a police officer when he was arrested. He pleaded guilty to the misconduct and the disability charge was dismissed with prejudice. He has multiple vehicle-related criminal records and a violent crime conviction.

Thomason is the only person found guilty of a crime related to the protest to date.

While police chief Craig Meidl admitted that any arrest is nuanced, he said he was disappointed that many people he believes violated the law will not receive any consequences for what happened that night have expected.

Meidl described the illegal gathering, which was described by demonstrators as an “overwhelmingly tense situation” after the looting of the Nike store in the city center, and blamed the escalation of the earlier peaceful protest on people who saw the event as “a cover for predatory behavior” used.

“It weakens the legitimacy of the law enforcement authorities when we try to ensure the safety of the inner city,” said Meidl of the prosecution. “It sends a message that you will not be prosecuted.”