Justice moved slowly again Wednesday with just one of the cases against a 2020 Graham protester resolved.
David Eli Baghdadi, 44, of Hot Springs, N.C., pleaded guilty to misdemeanor resisting a public officer at the Oct. 31 “I am Change” march, and granted a prayer for judgment continued, meaning there was no sentence, but he did have to pay $180 in court costs.
It took some time to get to that point, however, as Baghdadi disagreed with the prosecution’s explanation of his offense. Assistant District Attorney Kevin Harrison said Baghdadi “interfered” with an Alamance County sheriff’s deputy’s arrest of demonstrator Faith Cook. But Baghdadi said he just making sure she would be able to get in touch with someone to bond her out.
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"I was trying to give them the jail support number,” Baghdadi told Judge Lunsford Long. “It seemed to me they weren’t doing anything to deserve arrest. ... I was not trying to stop the arrest; I was not trying to interfere with the officer.
“I put my hands on her bag and asked, ‘Are you OK?’ and another officer got very upset and arrested me.”
After some consultations with defense lawyer Kelly Fairman outside the courtroom, Baghdadi accepted an Alford plea, meaning he pleaded guilty because it was in his best interest, but without actually admitting guilt.
Cook, who was in court Wednesday, had her case continued to July because her lawyer was not in court. Two other defendants also had cases continued.
District Court trials started in February for dozens of people arrested at protests in the summer and fall. Some have been at demonstrations at the Alamance County Detention Center, but most have been at the Alamance County Historic Courthouse on Court Square, which has a Confederate veterans monument in front of it.
The Oct. 31 protest at which Baghdadi was arrested is certainly the most widely known. Graham Police and sheriff’s deputies drove about 150 demonstrators from Court Square with pepper spray over violations of their protest permit. As it was the last day of early voting, it made for unflattering headlines nationally and internationally and spurred an ongoing federal lawsuit.
Isaac Groves is the Alamance County government watchdog reporter for the Times-News and the USA Today Network. Call or text 919-998-8039 with tips and comments or follow on Twitter @TNIGroves.
This article originally appeared on Times-News: Graham demonstrator pleads guilty, denies wrongdoing
