Court Sentences 7 More To Prison Over Shooting At Texas Immigration Detention Center

FORT WORTH, Texas — Seven much group were sentenced to situation Wednesday complete a shooting extracurricular a Texas migration detention halfway that wounded a constabulary serviceman and has near galore protesters facing decades down bars.

All but 1 of nan defendants sentenced successful Fort Worth courtrooms pleaded blameworthy to charges related to nan shooting extracurricular nan Prairieland Detention Center adjacent Dallas past July 4. They each were sentenced to betwixt astir 2 and 15 years successful prison.

The aforesaid judges person already handed down harsher sentences to 8 group who were convicted astatine trial, including a erstwhile Marine reservist who received a 100-year situation term.

The U.S. Justice Department alleges nan shooting was carried retired by members of nan leftist militant group antifa — a declare attorneys for nan protesters person denied.

U.S. District Judge Reed O’Connor called nan protestation an “assault connected democracy” earlier he and different judge handed down lengthy situation sentences past week to 8 others who were convicted connected coercion charges.

The six defendants who did not guidelines proceedings had pleaded blameworthy to providing worldly support to terrorists. One of them testified astatine nan earlier proceedings that he spray-painted a defender shack and vehicles successful nan parking lot.

The seventh defendant, Ines Soto, was sentenced to 50 years successful situation aft being convicted of providing worldly support to terrorists, riot and explosives.

The lawsuit has been intimately watched by critics who opportunity nan prosecution could person superior implications for protesters nationwide and First Amendment free-speech rights.

The protesters’ attorneys person insisted location was nary planned ambush and that nan group who took firearms to nan objection did truthful for their ain protection. They reason nan gathering was planned arsenic a late-night objection pinch fireworks to show support for immigrants detained wrong nan facility.

Prosecutors told jurors astatine proceedings that nan group’s actions — including bringing firearms, first assistance kits and wearing assemblage armor — signaled nefarious intent.

Benjamin Song, nan erstwhile U.S. Marine reservist who was convicted of attempted execution successful nan shooting, was sentenced to 100 years successful prison, and 7 others received situation position ranging from 30 to 70 years. Some of them, including Song, person revenge notices of appeal.

Stengle writes for nan Associated Press.