A man has been sentenced to one year in jail and two years of felony probation for the death of a Jewish man during a confrontation between pro-Israeli and pro-Palestinian demonstrators in California in November 2023.
Loay Abdel Fattah Alnaji pleaded guilty in May to felony involuntary manslaughter and felony battery causing serious bodily injury, according to the Ventura County District Attorney's office. He was sentenced on Wednesday in Ventura County Jail.
Prosecutors stated that Alnaji escalated a verbal altercation with Paul Kessler into a physical one during dueling street rallies in Thousand Oaks. Alnaji struck Kessler on the head with a megaphone, causing Kessler to fall and hit his head on the pavement. Alnaji remained at the scene, called 911, and provided a statement to investigators. Kessler later died from his injuries.
Alnaji was taken into custody days after the incident and charged in Kessler's death. Prosecutors had sought a state prison sentence and objected to the court’s decision to impose jail time and probation.
Rights advocates have expressed concerns about increased threats against American Jews, Muslims, and Arabs following the start of Israel's military actions in Gaza after Hamas's October 2023 attack.