A guilty plea almost a year after Salt Lake City police car arson
May 27, 2021, 9:32 AM
People jump on top of an overturned police car as they protest police brutality in Salt Lake City on Saturday, May 30, 2020. Protesters joined others across the nation after George Floyd, a Black man in Minnesota, died at the hands of police on Memorial Day. Ivy Ceballo, Deseret News
SALT LAKE CITY– One of the protestors in Salt Lake City broke into violence nearly a year ago has pleaded guilty to burning a police patrol car.
The officer had to be pulled out of there for her safety as protestors surrounded the car on 400 South and things turned violent on May 30, 2020.
Then dozens of people flipped the patrol car over and began pounding on it, stomping on it, breaking the windows with skateboards. It was eventually lit on fire.
KSL TV’s Alex Cabrero caught it all live as it unfolded.
Five people faced federal charges for burning that police car.
This week, court documents show that Jackson Patton pleaded guilty to civil disorder. He was originally charged with arson, for putting a burning cloth inside that patrol car. He agreed to a plea bargain on the lesser charge. His sentencing is set for August 11th and he faces up to five years in prison and a $3,500 fine.
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He has been in jail but his lawyers want him to be released to his parent’s home in the meantime.
Another defendant, Lateesha Richards, now has a reduced charge of civil disorder, which might also mean a plea negotiation for her.
Three others remain scheduled for trial on July 16, including former Hill Air Force Base airman Larry Raynold Williams Jr., and Christopher Rosas and Latroi Newbins.
