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Four Charged in Attack on Jamar Clark Protesters, Freddie Gray Trial Begins

The Hennepin County Prosecutor charged four men Monday with felony riot charges in the shooting of five African-American protesters at a demonstration for Jamar Clark, a 24-year-old Black man who was shot and killed by a Minneapolis police officer on Nov. 15.

The Hennepin County Prosecutor charged four men Monday with felony riot charges in the shooting of five African-American protesters at a demonstration for Jamar Clark, a 24-year-old Black man who was shot and killed by a Minneapolis police officer on Nov. 15. The men injured in the protest survived.

Allen Lawrence Scarsella, 23, faces one count of riot and five counts of assault, the Associated Press reports. The other three men, Joseph Martin Backman, 27; Nathan Wayne Gustavsson, 21; and Daniel Thomas Macey, 26, were each charged with one count of riot. 
Attorney Mike Freeman said that those charged could possibly face federal prosecution. 
Additionally, there are updates in the case of Freddie Gray, who died from spinal cord injuries after a "rough ride" in the back of a police van in April. The details surrounding what happened remain sketchy, but the officers involved are beginning trials in the case.
Jury selection began Monday in the trial of Officer William Porter, who is currently facing manslaughter, assault and reckless endangerment charges. He is one of six officers charged in the death of Gray, which ignited protests in the city that lasted several weeks. 
There are currently a total of approximately 80 potential jurors. Half of the pool is Black, one is Latino and one is East Indian. The remainder are white, CNN reports.
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(Photo: Richard Tsong-Taatarii/Star Tribune via AP Photo)

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