June 2, 2020

Multnomah County DA’s Office statement on recent mass demonstration arrests

Today, Multnomah County District Attorney Rod Underhill released the following information after four days of mass demonstrations in Portland, Oregon.

Approximately 100 individuals were either booked into jail or issued citations between May 29 and June 2, 2020. At this time, the Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office has only reviewed the cases involving individuals with court appearances scheduled for today, and has issued 27 cases:

Most individuals booked into the Multnomah County Detention Center, with limited exception, are released from custody prior to their arraignment. In accordance with the procedures established by Multnomah County’s Presiding Judge in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, upon release, arrested individuals are then assigned an arraignment date typically 7 to 9 weeks into the future.

Certain Class A and Class B felonies, as well as certain domestic violence offenses, are given more rapid return-to-court dates, which is when a released individual is informed whether charges have been filed.

This process, established in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, has minimized exposure risks to defendants, court staff, lawyers, crime victims and members of the public who still must appear in court to address matters relating to defendants who remain in custody.

The Multnomah County District Attorney's Office continues to work with law enforcement to identify and investigate any criminal conduct that occurred during past mass demonstrations. We will initiate a criminal case following a review of all available evidence and whenever legally and ethically appropriate, pursuant to state and constitutional law.

The Multnomah County District Attorney's Office encourages anyone with information on the identity of any person observed in criminal behavior during a mass demonstration to contact the Portland Police Bureau so these cases can be investigated and then sent to the Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office for prosecution consideration.

Tips should be directed to the Portland Police Bureau's Detective Division at 503-823-0400 or submitted anonymously to Crime Stoppers of Oregon by calling 503.823.HELP (4357)

Like in all criminal and civil matters, electronic copies of court documents, which are not subject to a protective order, are available to the public through the Oregon eCourt Information (OECI) system.

No additional information can be released by the Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office at this time pursuant to the Oregon Rules of Professional Conduct.

A charging document is only an accusation of a crime. All individuals named in a charging instrument are innocent unless and until proven guilty.

COVID-19 Notice

The health and well-being of all employees and community members we serve is a top priority for the Multnomah County District Attorney. Our office is working with the court, defense bar, local law enforcement and other system partners to carefully balance the needs of public health and public safety.

For information about the operational changes implemented by the District Attorney’s Office in response to the novel coronavirus, please click here.

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Contact: Brent Weisberg, Communications Director | Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office

Phone: 503.988.6567 | Email: Brent.Weisberg@mcda.us