A letter by three City Council members 鈥� published Monday on and dated April 18 鈥� urged the Solicitor's office to drop the charges against the 41 students arrested during a Dec. 11 sit-in at University Hall.
The letter was signed by Council President Rachel Miller, Majority Whip Miguel Sanchez and Councilman Justin Roia. The Council has 15 members.
鈥淎s elected officials tasked with defending the rights of Providence residents as well as responsibly stewarding taxpayer dollars, we are reaching out with great concern regarding the 41 Brown University students who were arrested on December 11,鈥� the letter reads.
According to the letter, signatories wrote the letter to 鈥渆xpress dismay and disapproval鈥� over the decision to press criminal charges. The decision to drop charges is 鈥渆ntirely within the legal authority of (the City Solicitor鈥檚) office,鈥� the letter states.
鈥淲e are formally asking you to exercise your prosecutorial discretion and drop the charges against the arrested students,鈥� it continues. 鈥淲e ask for your partnership in prioritizing responsible use of taxpayer resources, rather than wasting them on punishing students for a victimless crime.鈥�
A spokesperson from the University did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
鈥淚t is unprecedented and inappropriate for elected officials to make requests of or demands on the handling of prosecutions,鈥� Press Secretary Josh Estrella wrote in an email to The Herald. 鈥淭his is particularly the case when the complainant, in this case Brown University, has not dropped the charges.鈥�
Estrella clarified that the City鈥檚 law department has an attorney 鈥渞esponsible for handling misdemeanors in the court,鈥� and thus the prosecution of the arrested students 鈥渨ould not incur any additional cost or use of city resources.鈥�
Earlier today, Black Lives Matter R.I. PAC reaffirmed their support for the City Councilors鈥� letter in a shared by the organization.
The 41 students were arrested following a Dec. 11 sit-in, calling on the University to divest from 鈥渃ompanies which profit from human rights abuses in Palestine,鈥� The Herald previously reported. The students were arraigned this February and have been placed on University probation following internal disciplinary proceedings.
The letter鈥檚 release to the public coincides with the ongoing Main Green student encampment, which calls on Paxson to drop the charges against the 41 students, among other demands.
Earlier this morning, Paxson wrote in a letter to protestors that she will not recommend the Solicitor鈥檚 Office to drop the charges, though she will let student leaders meet with Corporation members to discuss a potential divestment proposal.
The City Solicitor鈥檚 Office did not respond to The Herald鈥檚 request for comment at the time of publication.
鈥淭here is even more pressure now than ever to drop charges against the 41 students,鈥� the Brown Divest Coalition said in a statement to The Herald, referring to the City Council鈥檚 statement.
This story is developing. Check back for updates.
Story last updated April 29, 4:53 p.m.
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