Trial Date Set for Alex Darocy for February 22

Today Santa Cruz Judge Paul Burdick denied a motion filed by my attorney to dismiss the charges against me on first amendment grounds. A trial date has now been set in Santa Cruz Superior Court for February 22, with a trial readiness hearing scheduled for February 17. Burdick stated there would be another chance for the motion to be heard by the court before trial, but that he would not dismiss the charges. Earlier this year I was charged with two counts, 2800(a), failing or refusing to comply with a lawful order of a peace officer (a misdemeanor), and 21718(a), stopping on a freeway (an infraction), after I took pictures from the window of my car as I drove past the UC Santa Cruz students who locked themselves down on Highway 17 during the 96 Hours of Action protests, which were organized to oppose university fee hikes and their relation to the expansion of prisons and policing.