California professor gets 1-year jail for Jewish demo death

A California man has been sentenced to one year in county jail and two years of felony probation for the 2023 death of a Jewish protester during opposing demonstrations. Loay Abdel Fattah Alnaji, a 53-year-old Moorpark College professor, received the sentence on Wednesday after pleading guilty in May to felony involuntary manslaughter and felony battery causing serious bodily injury.

The charges stem from an altercation on November 5, 2023, in Thousand Oaks, about 35 miles west of Los Angeles. Alnaji and Paul Kessler, a 69-year-old retired pro-Israel activist, were participating in separate pro-Palestinian and pro-Israeli rallies. According to prosecutors, Alnaji escalated a verbal argument into a physical confrontation, striking Kessler in the head with a megaphone. The blow caused Kessler to fall backward, hitting his head on the pavement.

Alnaji remained at the scene, called 911, and provided a statement to investigators. Kessler died from his injuries the following day. Alnaji was arrested several days after the incident.

The Ventura County District Attorney’s Office argued for a state prison sentence and formally objected to the court’s decision to impose jail time and...