News/Commentary

Shock verdict finds Antifa goons not liable in Andy Ngo attack, attorney declares ‘I am Antifa’

August 9, 2023 | | Print Article

In a shocking and disturbing turn of events, a jury in Portland, Oregon has reached a verdict unbelievably finding Antifa thugs not liable in a civil case filed by independent journalist Andy Ngo.

The Post Millennial’s senior editor was represented by attorney Harmeet Dhillon’s nonprofit Center for American Liberty. He was seeking almost $1 million in damages in a lawsuit accusing the co-defendants of assault, battery, theft, and intentional infliction of emotional distress over a series of violent Antifa attacks that began in 2019 when Ngo was hospitalized for a brain hemorrhage.

In Andy Ngo v. Rose City Antifa, both defendants John Colin Hacker and Elizabeth Renee Richter were let off the hook by the jury despite their doxxing actions purportedly leading to Ngo being the recipient of a number of vicious beatings.

The Post Millenial reported, “Ngo filed a complaint in Portland, Oregon in 2020, claiming assault and other injuries over alleged acts of violence carried out by members of Antifa, which began in 2019. Defendants John Colin Hacker and Elizabeth Renee Richter have been accused by Senior Editor of Post Millennial Andy Ngo of assault, battery, and intentional infliction of emotional distress, which was argued before a civil jury for more than a week at the Multnomah County Courthouse.”

“Defendants Hacker and Richter, who allegedly work as Antifa’s ‘doxxers,’ which after identifying Ngo had led to a series of physical beatings on May 28, 2021, were found by the jury on Tuesday not liable for all of these claims. Evidence provided during the trial, along with testimony given by both defendants, asserts Ngo’s claims in the complaint,” the media outlet continued.

ADVERTISEMENT

Defense attorney Michelle Burrows told jurors during closing statements that she was both a progressive and an “anti-fascist.” She proclaimed to them, “I am Antifa” and stated that she would wear a t-shirt declaring it after the trial. She further claimed that the group’s reputation for violence was untrue and that they were simply activists fighting for social justice and civil rights.

Burrows also justified Antifa by claiming, “Resistance in this country has never been peaceful.”

Confusingly, as she argued the defendants’ innocence in front of the jurors, she admitted that the “black-clad people” who attacked Ngo were terrorists, according to the Post Millenial.

She also claimed that Ngo was a “doxxer” because he uploads publicly available mugshots of Antifa-affiliated individuals that have committed crimes to his Twitter account, exposing them to his over one million followers.

ADVERTISEMENT

Burrows asserted that because the U.S. has an “unregulated Internet,” Ngo should have to “take responsibility” for the words he says on platforms. She went on to smear Ngo, claiming that his “conduct has not been pristine.” She also attacked his credibility as a journalist, while calling him a “liar” who provides “half-truths.”

She went on to claim that his reporting had created a “rage machine that has generated so much revenue for Mr. Ngo.”

The attorney announced that this would be her last trial and that she is retiring. After that, she engaged in blatant witness intimidation that should have caused a mistrial by telling the jurors that she “will remember each one of their faces.”

In her closing arguments, she did not even lay out why the two defendants should be found not guilty. Instead, she reportedly went on a scree in defense of anti-fascism while attacking Ngo.

ADVERTISEMENT

Hacker apologized to Ngo during the proceedings. He brought up the fact that Ngo was forced to flee the country to start a new life abroad and was left unable to take care of his elderly parents because of it.

He claimed it “hit home” for him because he was unable to set things right with his own father before he passed away. He attempted to pull on the heartstrings of the jury by telling how he had overcome opioid addiction after suffering third-degree burns to 79 percent of his body.

Hacker said he became an addiction counselor with a bachelor’s in public health and a master’s in criminology and criminal justice. Now he’s a stay-at-home dad. But he also claims to be a social justice activist and citizen journalist who identifies right-wing infiltrators.

Andy Ngo’s attorney Dorothy Yamamoto went through each charge against Hacker and Richter. She provided evidence relating to each charge and explained how the defendants were connected to assault, battery, and intentional infliction of emotional distress. She also reminded the jury in her rebuttal “to be mindful of what is evidence, and what the attorneys have been saying.”

ADVERTISEMENT

“I’ve heard allegations and things that have happened that are not evidence. There has been a lot of attacks against my client’s credibility as a journalist. He lies, he misstates. Did the defendants show you his actual posts,” Yamamoto asked.

“Yamamoto explained to the jury that while Hacker and Richter may or may not have physically beaten Ngo on the night of May 28, 2021, the defendants can still be held liable for battery, assault, and intentional infliction of emotional distress due to state law,” the Post Millenial stated.

Hacker poured water on Ngo and slapped his phone out of hand on May 7, 2021, which he had admitted during testimony. Hacker and Richter were seen on surveillance video shortly after Ngo was beaten.

“On May 28, 2021, Hacker allegedly took part in actions that led to Ngo being beaten by an Antifa mob. On that day, Ngo was monitoring Antifa attacks on the Portland Justice Center and the Portland police central precinct when Hacker allegedly approached him. The Antifa mob then yelled, ‘That’s Andy! Get him! Get him!’ Hacker testified that he approached Ngo and identified him to another journalist,” the Post Millenial noted.

Ngo survived a street beating, which was caught on security tape. He was able to flee and ended up at The Nines Hotel on 525 SW Morrison Street. Richter followed Ngo into the hotel before being ejected by hotel officials, who asked Richter to leave.

Richter is seen on video screaming at Ngo, “I can’t wait for you to come out, Andy!”

“Richter is accused of live streaming and broadcasting video of Andy Ngo in the hotel after he had been brutally beaten by his assailants, describing his location inside the hotel, and verbally encouraging more assaults on Ngo. Video evidence of this was provided during trial,” the Post Millenial added.

Before jury deliberation commenced, Judge Chanpone Sinlapasai announced that the jurors had raised safety concerns about being “doxxed” and claimed that people had been trying to identify them.

Prior to the trial’s conclusion, Sinlapasai issued court orders banning the public and non-credentialed press from the courtroom for the duration of Ngo’s jury trial. There had reportedly been multiple in-court disruptions since the trial began on July 31 as well as security issues.

Four other Antifa members named in Ngo’s complaint were found in default. Their damages will be decided by Judge Sinapalasi following the trial.

Get the latest BPR news delivered free to your inbox daily. SIGN UP HERE

Latest posts by Terresa Monroe-Hamilton (see all)

Comment

We have no tolerance for comments containing violence, racism, profanity, vulgarity, doxing, or discourteous behavior. If a comment is spam, instead of replying to it please click the ∨ icon below and to the right of that comment. Thank you for partnering with us to maintain fruitful conversation.

Latest Articles