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The court ruled in favor of Post Millennial senior editor Andy Ngo on Monday in his civil trial against the remaining three alleged Antifa defendants that had physically attacked him in June 2019 in Portland, Oregon.
Defendants Corbyn "Katherine" Belyea, Madison "Denny" Lee Allen, and Sammich Overkill Schott-Deputy were found liable by Judge Sinaplasai for assault, battery, and intentional infliction of emotional distress.
Each defendant has been ordered to pay Ngo $100,000 in damages.
Defendant Madison "Denny" Lee Allen (Left), Defendant Sammich Overkill Schott-Deputy (Center), and Defendant Corbyn "Katherine" Belyea (Right)
This court hearing was held in a virtual setting at the Multnomah County Courthouse on Monday after the three defendants were found in default on July 14 by the pre-trial judge for not responding to Ngo's complaint, which is why they did not appear at the civil jury trial held earlier this month.
Defendants Belyea, Allen, and Schott-Deputy were allegedly involved in the June 29, 2019 attack on Ngo, in which he was brutally beaten by a mob of alleged members of Rose City Antifa while reporting on an event in Portland, Oregon, according to Ngo's complaint. This attack received national attention and is most commonly referred to as the "milkshake" incident. Ngo was left severely injured and was admitted to the hospital as a result of this attack, which caused a significant injury to Ngo's brain.
According to Ngo's civil complaint, the three defendants were allegedly involved in a physical attack on Ngo, in which he had been assaulted with projectiles that included "milkshakes" and containers, in addition to being punched and kicked. The defendants, along with other alleged members of Rose City Antifa, had also struck him on the head and face with plywood hard-edged sign placards and carbon-hardened tactical gloves.
Video of this brutal attack was submitted to the court by Ngo's attorney, Dorothy Yamamoto, as evidence during the hearing.
The investigative journalist, who is most famously known for his reporting on Antifa and far-left extremism, testified that the attack had caused significant emotional distress and trauma which impacted his ability to work in the field as a ground reporter and videographer. The journalist explained that he had to undergo physical and cognitive therapy, and was left with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) following the attack. The incident also reportedly left Ngo with short-term memory issues, Ngo testified.
While discussing damages, attorney Yamamoto submitted evidence to the court that included a $1,405.60 invoice for an ambulance service and a receipt from Apple for $1,827.90 in regards to Ngo's phone being broken during the attack.
Attorney Dorothy Yamamoto at Ngo's civil jury trial against Rose City Antifa, et al, on Aug. 1 at the Multnomah County Courthouse (Courtesy: Chelly Bouferrache)
In addition, Ngo had testified that he had to opt into a security service for his family's home due to anxiety and fears over continuous threats. Yamamoto submitted a receipt showing that Ngo had paid $560.00 for security cameras which has a $57.99 monthly fee. These security cameras, which were installed in Aug. 2019, had an installation fee of $829.00, according to the receipts.
Ngo released a statement following the judge's ruling in which he expressed gratitude for the decision and vowed to continue to hold Rose City Antifa and its affiliated members accountable for their alleged physical attacks on him.
"At a hearing today regarding three defaulted Antifa defendants in my Ngo v. Rose City Antifa, et al. lawsuit, the court heard evidence about the brutal June 29, 2019 beating I suffered at a Rose City Antifa event where I was seriously injured. The court found that I was indeed battered and assaulted by Madison "Denny" Lee Allen, Katherine "Corbyn" Belyea and Sammich Overkill Schott-Deputy (formerly Joseph Christian Evans). The court awarded me $300,000—to be split equally among these three attackers," Ngo wrote.
"Today's victory is a small vindication for the disappointing jury verdict earlier this month at trial. Collecting on these judgments will pose serious challenges; however, I’m deeply grateful for the support of the @liberty_ctr and my counsel Dorothy Yamamoto, Gregory Michael, Harmeet Dhillon, James Buchal and @mark_trammell for believing in me, and helping me hold these attackers accountable for trying to violently silence my First Amendment rights," he continued.
"While it will continue to be a steep uphill battle to collect today's awarded damages given the default defendants' history of evasion, I remain determined to hold Antifa and its members accountable for their violent attacks," Ngo concluded.
Journalist Andy Ngo testifies as a witness at the Multnomah County Courthouse on Aug. 2 at his civil jury trial against Rose City Antifa, et al (Courtesy: Chelly Boufferache)
During the court hearing, the defense attorney for defendant Schott-Deputy, Cliff Davidson, had filed a motion to set aside an order for default asking for Schott-Deputy to be tried before a jury. Davidson argued that his client was unable to respond to the order to appear in court due to living in a homeless encampment across the street from the courthouse and serving prison sentences in both New York and Oregon at the time he had been served.
Judge Sinaplasai denied the defense attorney's motion and informed Davidson that he can file an appeal following her ruling.
Defendant Sammich Overkill Schott-Deputy, a 39-year-old trans-identified male formerly known as Joseph Christopher Evans, has an extensive criminal history across several counties and states. On the same day that Schott-Deputy had allegedly attacked Ngo, he was seen on video"> physically beating a separate individual on the head from behind using a weapon or tool.
In May 2022, Schott-Deputy was given a sweetheart deal by district attorney Mike Schmidt's office where he was allowed to plead guilty to attempt to commit a class B felony in exchange for no prison time. Charges of assault and unlawful use of a weapon were dismissed and he was sentenced to 36 months probation, which was violated twice in November 2022 and January 2023. Schott-Deputy served only seven days in county jail for the second probation violation.
The other two defendants, Belyea and Allen, who both identify as transgender, did not appear at the court hearing nor did they have legal representation.
Earlier this month during the civil jury trial, the jurors had found alleged Antifa defendants John Colin Hacker and Elizabeth Renee Richter not liable for damages in the civil suit Ngo had filed against Rose City Antifa, et al. This despite significant video and written evidence that Ngo's team had submitted against the two defendants, and an admission of guilt by defendant Hacker.
Before the jury had reached a verdict, Judge Sinaplasai had informed the two counsels that jurors had expressed concerns about being doxxed and had alleged to the court that people had been trying to find out their identities during the trial. The trial had multiple interruptions due to safety concerns, and the judge enacted strict policies which included a near media blackout.
Defendant John Colin Hacker (Left) and Defendant Elizabeth Renee Richter (Right) at the civil jury trial on Aug. 4 at the Multnomah County Courthouse (Courtesy: pool photographer)
During closing statements, the defense lawyer for Hacker and Richter, Michelle Burrows, stated that she was going to make an "I am Antifa" t-shirt to wear following the trial, and told jurors that she "will remember each of their faces" while speaking on retirement. Burrows also claimed that "resistance has never been peaceful."
Defense attorney Michelle Burrows presents Ngo with evidence on Aug. 2 at the Multnomah County Courthouse (Courtesy: Chelly Boufferache)
The three defendants for Monday's court hearing were found in default by the court on July 14 for not responding to the complaint, which is why they were not tried before the jury.
Furthermore, a separate individual named in the suit, Benjamin Patrick Bolen, had reached a settlement with Ngo before the civil trial began. The pre-trial judge had also dismissed Rose City Antifa from the suit on grounds that an unassociated identity can not be sued.
This is a breaking story and will be updated.
Defendants Corbyn "Katherine" Belyea, Madison "Denny" Lee Allen, and Sammich Overkill Schott-Deputy were found liable by Judge Sinaplasai for assault, battery, and intentional infliction of emotional distress.
Each defendant has been ordered to pay Ngo $100,000 in damages.
Defendant Madison "Denny" Lee Allen (Left), Defendant Sammich Overkill Schott-Deputy (Center), and Defendant Corbyn "Katherine" Belyea (Right)
This court hearing was held in a virtual setting at the Multnomah County Courthouse on Monday after the three defendants were found in default on July 14 by the pre-trial judge for not responding to Ngo's complaint, which is why they did not appear at the civil jury trial held earlier this month.
Defendants Belyea, Allen, and Schott-Deputy were allegedly involved in the June 29, 2019 attack on Ngo, in which he was brutally beaten by a mob of alleged members of Rose City Antifa while reporting on an event in Portland, Oregon, according to Ngo's complaint. This attack received national attention and is most commonly referred to as the "milkshake" incident. Ngo was left severely injured and was admitted to the hospital as a result of this attack, which caused a significant injury to Ngo's brain.
According to Ngo's civil complaint, the three defendants were allegedly involved in a physical attack on Ngo, in which he had been assaulted with projectiles that included "milkshakes" and containers, in addition to being punched and kicked. The defendants, along with other alleged members of Rose City Antifa, had also struck him on the head and face with plywood hard-edged sign placards and carbon-hardened tactical gloves.
Video of this brutal attack was submitted to the court by Ngo's attorney, Dorothy Yamamoto, as evidence during the hearing.
The investigative journalist, who is most famously known for his reporting on Antifa and far-left extremism, testified that the attack had caused significant emotional distress and trauma which impacted his ability to work in the field as a ground reporter and videographer. The journalist explained that he had to undergo physical and cognitive therapy, and was left with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) following the attack. The incident also reportedly left Ngo with short-term memory issues, Ngo testified.
While discussing damages, attorney Yamamoto submitted evidence to the court that included a $1,405.60 invoice for an ambulance service and a receipt from Apple for $1,827.90 in regards to Ngo's phone being broken during the attack.
Attorney Dorothy Yamamoto at Ngo's civil jury trial against Rose City Antifa, et al, on Aug. 1 at the Multnomah County Courthouse (Courtesy: Chelly Bouferrache)
In addition, Ngo had testified that he had to opt into a security service for his family's home due to anxiety and fears over continuous threats. Yamamoto submitted a receipt showing that Ngo had paid $560.00 for security cameras which has a $57.99 monthly fee. These security cameras, which were installed in Aug. 2019, had an installation fee of $829.00, according to the receipts.
Ngo released a statement following the judge's ruling in which he expressed gratitude for the decision and vowed to continue to hold Rose City Antifa and its affiliated members accountable for their alleged physical attacks on him.
"At a hearing today regarding three defaulted Antifa defendants in my Ngo v. Rose City Antifa, et al. lawsuit, the court heard evidence about the brutal June 29, 2019 beating I suffered at a Rose City Antifa event where I was seriously injured. The court found that I was indeed battered and assaulted by Madison "Denny" Lee Allen, Katherine "Corbyn" Belyea and Sammich Overkill Schott-Deputy (formerly Joseph Christian Evans). The court awarded me $300,000—to be split equally among these three attackers," Ngo wrote.
"Today's victory is a small vindication for the disappointing jury verdict earlier this month at trial. Collecting on these judgments will pose serious challenges; however, I’m deeply grateful for the support of the @liberty_ctr and my counsel Dorothy Yamamoto, Gregory Michael, Harmeet Dhillon, James Buchal and @mark_trammell for believing in me, and helping me hold these attackers accountable for trying to violently silence my First Amendment rights," he continued.
"While it will continue to be a steep uphill battle to collect today's awarded damages given the default defendants' history of evasion, I remain determined to hold Antifa and its members accountable for their violent attacks," Ngo concluded.
Journalist Andy Ngo testifies as a witness at the Multnomah County Courthouse on Aug. 2 at his civil jury trial against Rose City Antifa, et al (Courtesy: Chelly Boufferache)
During the court hearing, the defense attorney for defendant Schott-Deputy, Cliff Davidson, had filed a motion to set aside an order for default asking for Schott-Deputy to be tried before a jury. Davidson argued that his client was unable to respond to the order to appear in court due to living in a homeless encampment across the street from the courthouse and serving prison sentences in both New York and Oregon at the time he had been served.
Judge Sinaplasai denied the defense attorney's motion and informed Davidson that he can file an appeal following her ruling.
Defendant Sammich Overkill Schott-Deputy, a 39-year-old trans-identified male formerly known as Joseph Christopher Evans, has an extensive criminal history across several counties and states. On the same day that Schott-Deputy had allegedly attacked Ngo, he was seen on video"> physically beating a separate individual on the head from behind using a weapon or tool.
In May 2022, Schott-Deputy was given a sweetheart deal by district attorney Mike Schmidt's office where he was allowed to plead guilty to attempt to commit a class B felony in exchange for no prison time. Charges of assault and unlawful use of a weapon were dismissed and he was sentenced to 36 months probation, which was violated twice in November 2022 and January 2023. Schott-Deputy served only seven days in county jail for the second probation violation.
The other two defendants, Belyea and Allen, who both identify as transgender, did not appear at the court hearing nor did they have legal representation.
Earlier this month during the civil jury trial, the jurors had found alleged Antifa defendants John Colin Hacker and Elizabeth Renee Richter not liable for damages in the civil suit Ngo had filed against Rose City Antifa, et al. This despite significant video and written evidence that Ngo's team had submitted against the two defendants, and an admission of guilt by defendant Hacker.
Before the jury had reached a verdict, Judge Sinaplasai had informed the two counsels that jurors had expressed concerns about being doxxed and had alleged to the court that people had been trying to find out their identities during the trial. The trial had multiple interruptions due to safety concerns, and the judge enacted strict policies which included a near media blackout.
Defendant John Colin Hacker (Left) and Defendant Elizabeth Renee Richter (Right) at the civil jury trial on Aug. 4 at the Multnomah County Courthouse (Courtesy: pool photographer)
During closing statements, the defense lawyer for Hacker and Richter, Michelle Burrows, stated that she was going to make an "I am Antifa" t-shirt to wear following the trial, and told jurors that she "will remember each of their faces" while speaking on retirement. Burrows also claimed that "resistance has never been peaceful."
Defense attorney Michelle Burrows presents Ngo with evidence on Aug. 2 at the Multnomah County Courthouse (Courtesy: Chelly Boufferache)
The three defendants for Monday's court hearing were found in default by the court on July 14 for not responding to the complaint, which is why they were not tried before the jury.
Furthermore, a separate individual named in the suit, Benjamin Patrick Bolen, had reached a settlement with Ngo before the civil trial began. The pre-trial judge had also dismissed Rose City Antifa from the suit on grounds that an unassociated identity can not be sued.
This is a breaking story and will be updated.
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