Anti Federalist
03-24-2009, 11:24 AM
FBI informant on RNC protesters found guilty in unrelated case (http://www.startribune.com/local/west/41694462.html)
An FBI informant during last September's RNC protests has been found guilty of assault and property damage charges in an unrelated incident.
By RANDY FURST, Star Tribune
Last update: March 23, 2009 - 8:11 PM
A confidential FBI informant was found guilty Monday on three criminal counts in connection with an early morning confrontation he had in a Minnetrista home in January.
Andrew Darst, 30, who is said to have played an important role in an undercover investigation of anarchist protesters at the Republican National Convention, was found guilty of third-degree damage to property, a gross misdemeanor, and two counts of assault in the fifth degree, which are misdemeanors. He was found not guilty of two counts of first- and second-degree burglary, both felonies. He will be sentenced on May 18.
Darst was an undercover FBI informant who infiltrated the Welcoming Committee, an anarchist group that was planning protests and disruptions on the streets in September outside the Republican National Convention in St. Paul.
The information he gathered is said to be an important part of the case being developed against eight defendants who call themselves the RNC 8. They face conspiracy-to-commit-riot charges in Ramsey County District Court. The Hennepin County charges against Darst involved an unrelated incident on Jan. 11.
Joseph Daly, a law professor at Hamline University, said Darst's conviction might hurt the prosecution somewhat if he testifies in the RNC 8 case.
"The defense will say in closing, 'You can't believe a word this person is saying. He's a violent person. He's a criminal,'" said Daly. In anticipation of this, he said, the prosecution will tell the jury at the opening of the trial: "You're going to hear testimony from informants. Like all informants, they are not squeaky clean people."
An FBI informant during last September's RNC protests has been found guilty of assault and property damage charges in an unrelated incident.
By RANDY FURST, Star Tribune
Last update: March 23, 2009 - 8:11 PM
A confidential FBI informant was found guilty Monday on three criminal counts in connection with an early morning confrontation he had in a Minnetrista home in January.
Andrew Darst, 30, who is said to have played an important role in an undercover investigation of anarchist protesters at the Republican National Convention, was found guilty of third-degree damage to property, a gross misdemeanor, and two counts of assault in the fifth degree, which are misdemeanors. He was found not guilty of two counts of first- and second-degree burglary, both felonies. He will be sentenced on May 18.
Darst was an undercover FBI informant who infiltrated the Welcoming Committee, an anarchist group that was planning protests and disruptions on the streets in September outside the Republican National Convention in St. Paul.
The information he gathered is said to be an important part of the case being developed against eight defendants who call themselves the RNC 8. They face conspiracy-to-commit-riot charges in Ramsey County District Court. The Hennepin County charges against Darst involved an unrelated incident on Jan. 11.
Joseph Daly, a law professor at Hamline University, said Darst's conviction might hurt the prosecution somewhat if he testifies in the RNC 8 case.
"The defense will say in closing, 'You can't believe a word this person is saying. He's a violent person. He's a criminal,'" said Daly. In anticipation of this, he said, the prosecution will tell the jury at the opening of the trial: "You're going to hear testimony from informants. Like all informants, they are not squeaky clean people."