District attorney’s office rejects petitions delivered by local activists supporting Tianna Arata
Photo from Facebook.
DA’s office says petitions ‘have no bearing on the law or circumstances’
–San Luis Obispo County District Attorney Dan Dow’s office on Tuesday released a statement in response to an attempt by local activists to deliver boxes of signed petitions calling for Dow to not pursue charges against Tiana Arata and Elias Bautista.
Arata’s July 21 arrest stems from when she allegedly led protesters onto Highway 101, and allegedly “putting in jeopardy the safety of protesters, motorists, and law enforcement and blocked all lanes in both directions for nearly an hour,” according to the city. While on the freeway, protesters reportedly damaged the hood of a passenger vehicle and smashed the rear window where a 4-year-old child was in the back seat. After that protest, San Luis Obispo Police charged her with multiple offenses, including several felonies. Protester Elias Bautista, 23, was also arrested on charges related to that incident. During Arata’s arrest, the San Luis Obispo Police Department says one of its officers was allegedly assaulted by Bautista.
A Change.org petition by the #FreeTianna Coalition had attracted more than 544,000 signatures as of Tuesday afternoon.
The district attorney’s office released the following statement on Tuesday in response to the delivery:
At approximately 2:45 p.m. today a group of individuals sought to provide several boxes of documents to the San Luis Obispo County District Attorney’s Office indicating they were “petitions.” From social media posts it appears that they relate to our office’s review of the arrest of Tianna Arata on July 21, 2020. Our office is not accepting the petitions, as they have no bearing on the law or circumstances resulting in Ms. Arata’s arrest.
The case is presently under review with a recommendation by the San Luis Obispo Police Department that criminal charges be field. Ms. Arata is scheduled to appear in the San Luis Obispo County Superior Court on September 3, 2020. Over the last month, our office has engaged many community members expressing varied viewpoints on the arrest of Ms. Arata and suggesting (often demanding) that we make a particular filing decision. While mindful of the complexity and sensitivity of the broader social justice conversation, we would be in violation of our ethical duty if we were to make a filing decision based on public sentiment. The District Attorney’s Office remains committed to the fair, objective and fact-based review of the evidence in determining if criminal charges should be brought, and if so what charges. In short, we will follow the law without regard for political pressure or political sentiment.
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