A California university professor will be tried for involuntary manslaughter against a pro-Israel protester

Superior Court Judge Ryan Wright decided this Wednesday to try a Southern California college professor accused of involuntary manslaughter and assault. Pro-Israel protester Paul Kessler was killed during the protests that took place last November, just one month after the October 7 attacks and when the war between Israel and Hamas began.

A man hit Paul Kessler with a megaphone during a pro-Palestinian protest in Thousand Oaks, a suburb northeast of Los Angeles. After this, Kessler, 69, fell backward and hit the sidewalk, leaving him seriously injured. He died in the hospital the next day.

Following the accident, police opened an investigation and identified Loay Abdelfattah Alnaji whom the Ventura County District Attorney's Office charged with two serious crimes, as AP recalls: involuntary manslaughter and battery resulting in serious injuries. In addition, the prosecution explained that he is also facing special charges of "personally inflicting serious bodily injury on each count." He could be sentenced to four years in prison.

Alnaji posted $50,000 bail. At the time of the crime, he was working as a computer science professor at Moorpark College (California). He is a renowned pro-Palestinian supporter, which was evident on his Facebook page as well as on other social media profiles, although these posts were taken down after Kessler died.