California Man Pleads Not Guilty to Manslaughter in Death of Jewish Protester

Published on November 18, 2023

THOUSAND OAKS, California—A California man pleaded not guilty to manslaughter and battery charges on Friday in the death of a Jewish man who fell to the ground and hit his head during an altercation between pro-Israel and pro-Palestinian demonstrators earlier this month. The suspect, Loay Alnaji, 50, was arraigned in Ventura County Superior Court the day after his arrest at his home in Moorpark, California, a community roughly adjacent to the scene of the protests on Nov. 5 and about 45 miles (72 km) northwest of Los Angeles. He was charged on Friday with one count of involuntary manslaughter and one count of battery causing serious bodily injury, felonies each punishable by up to four years in prison if he were convicted....