Jury Deadlocked in Stanford Pro-Palestinian Protest Trial of 2024
A jury has deadlocked in the trial of five current and former Stanford University students who were charged following pro-Palestinian protests that took place in 2024. The trial, which concluded on Friday, 13 February 2026, saw the jury unable to reach a unanimous verdict on the felony charges brought against the defendants.
Charges Stem from Campus Demonstrations
The students faced serious felony charges, including vandalism and conspiracy to trespass, after they barricaded themselves inside the executive offices of the university president and provost. According to Santa Clara County prosecutors, the demonstrators engaged in destructive acts during the protest.
Prosecutors alleged that the students broke furniture and splattered a red liquid, described as fake blood, on various items throughout the offices. These actions formed the basis of the criminal case, which highlighted the legal consequences of campus activism.
Defense Argues for Protected Speech
In response, defense lawyers contended that the protest was an exercise of protected speech under the First Amendment and that there was no intent to damage property. They argued that the students' actions were part of a political demonstration and should not be criminalised.
This trial represents a rare instance where demonstrators from the wave of campus protests in 2024 faced felony charges, setting a precedent in California's Silicon Valley legal landscape. The deadlocked jury underscores the complexities of balancing free speech rights with property damage allegations in such cases.
The outcome leaves the case unresolved, with potential for a retrial or dismissal, as legal experts weigh in on the implications for future campus protests and the prosecution of similar incidents nationwide.
