one-year jail – Loay Abdel Fattah Alnaji, 53, of Moorpark was sentenced to one year in jail and two years of probation for the 2023 death of Paul Kessler, 69, after an incident at a Free Palestine demonstration in Thousand Oaks.
On a November day in Thousand Oaks, a protest over Israel and Palestine turned into a deadly moment. Now the court has handed down the consequence: a Moorpark man convicted in the death of a rallygoer will serve a one-year prison term, followed by probation.
Loay Abdel Fattah Alnaji. 53. pleaded guilty to manslaughter charges tied to the 2023 protest and was sentenced by the Ventura County district attorney’s office process to one year in jail and two years of probation. The case grew out of an incident in Thousand Oaks in which Alnaji was accused of striking Paul Kessler on the head with a megaphone. Prosecutors said the blow caused Kessler to fall and strike his head on the pavement.
Alnaji will begin serving his one-year prison term on Aug. 7, with jail-time credit for two days previously served.
The district attorney’s office had asked for a state prison sentence. In a statement from the office, it said it “objected to the court’s decision to impose one year of jail and probation” and called for the longer punishment.
At sentencing, victim impact statements were read, including one from Kessler’s widow. In the district attorney’s statement, the widow wrote, “There are no words to describe the pain of losing a husband in such a sudden and violent way.” She was not identified.
The guilty plea came in May. Alnaji admitted to charges of felony, involuntary manslaughter and felony battery causing serious bodily injury. He also agreed to “a special allegation that he personally inflicted great bodily injury. ” along with aggravating factors stating that he used a weapon and that the victim was particularly vulnerable.
The events began as Alnaji joined a rally at the corner of Westlake and Thousand Oaks boulevards in support of Palestinians. Paul Kessler, 69, had attended a counter protest in support of Israel. Prosecutors said Alnaji escalated a verbal altercation into a physical clash with Kessler. and that after Kessler fell to the ground. Alnaji remained at the scene—calling emergency services and providing investigators with a statement.
Kessler died from his injuries the next day. Alnaji was taken into custody days later and charged in connection with Kessler’s death.
Ventura County District Attorney Erik Nasarenko said in the district attorney’s statement that “Mr. Kessler lost his life in a violent attack that took him from his family and his wife of 43 years. ” and argued that “Given the circumstances of this case and the death that resulted. we believe a state prison commitment was the appropriate and just sentence.”.
Thousand Oaks Free Palestine rally Moorpark man sentenced Loay Abdel Fattah Alnaji Paul Kessler megaphone attack Ventura County district attorney involuntary manslaughter probation