November 5, 2020
PORTLAND, Ore. – Today, Multnomah County District Attorney Mike Schmidt is providing an update on the cases submitted for prosecution screening after law enforcement declared a riot in downtown on November 4, 2020 and made multiple arrests.
The Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office received 13 cases from law enforcement.
Five (5) of the 13 cases were referred as a felony and the remaining eight (8) were referred as a misdemeanor.
At this time, the Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office has initiated criminal prosecution in two (2) of the referred cases: State v. Luke Harrah and State v. Jarrod DeFerrari.
Harrah is charged with one count of criminal mischief in the first degree and two counts of criminal mischief in the second degree. Harrah is accused of breaking two windows, estimated to be 5-feet x 7-feet in size, at the Pioneer Courthouse Square Starbucks. During a police interview, Harrah told detectives that he is a traveling protester and had only been in Portland a few days, according to court documents.
DeFerrari, from Sunrise, Florida, is charged with one count of riot and two counts of criminal mischief in the second degree. DeFerrari is accused of breaking two windows of local businesses using a black hammer that was inside his backpack.
Four (4) of the 13 cases referred to the district attorney’s office were referred back to the arresting agency for investigative follow up. These cases remain under investigation. It is our responsibility to not make a premature criminal charging decision based on potentially incomplete information. Upon the completion of the requested investigative follow up, any case re-submitted will be re-reviewed.
The district attorney’s office rejected four (4) of the 13 cases in practice with the office policy announced by DA Schmidt on August 11, 2020. All four rejected cases involved individuals being arrested at a parking garage in downtown and charged with a single count of trespassing in the second degree, a Class C misdemeanor.
Three (3) of the 13 cases referred to the district attorney’s office resulted in a “no complaint” being filed with the court because no police reports were received. All three cases, which were submitted as misdemeanors, will be reviewed once the police reports are received.
It is important to note: Our office continues to work with law enforcement to identify and investigate any criminal conduct that occurred during past mass demonstrations. This conduct includes assaults and property damage that have been recorded and posted online.
No additional information can be released by the Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office at this time.
A charging document is only an accusation of a crime. Harrah and DeFerrari are innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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Media Contact:
Brent Weisberg, Communications Director
Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office
Email: Brent.Weisberg@mcda.us