Last year’s Portland demonstrations saw a self-professed member of the Proud Boys get 10 years in jail on Friday after being found guilty of assaulting protesters.
Important Facts:
- Alan Swinney, 51, was sentenced to 10 years in prison and 3 years of supervised release by Multnomah County Circuit Judge Heidi Moawad, according to Mike Schmidt, attorney of Multnomah County District, in a news statement.
- According to prosecutors, Swinney shot a protester in the eye using a paintball gun, used bear mace to spray protesters, and then pointed a loaded handgun at them before being found guilty of 11 of 12 crimes, including numerous counts of assault.
- During his trial and punishment, Moawad claimed Swinney didn’t exhibit regret for his crimes, according to the Oregonian.
- An Oregon court sentenced Swinney to three years in prison for his role in a white supremacist vigilante cowboy attack on the city of Portland, Schmidt said in an official statement.
- The defense maintained that Swinney acted in self-defense against the “agitators” throughout the trial.
- Comments have been sought from Swinney’s legal team by Forbes.
In September 2020, Swinney was detained on 12 felony counts after the demonstrations. It was widely reported that Swinney had been seen on video aiming a pistol towards a mob of protesters. Although members of the right-wing organisation have distanced themselves from Swinney’s “Proud Boys” tattoo on his arm, prosecutors labeled him as a former Proud Boy member and noted that he had the inking. At least two dozen rallies were held around the country in response to the death of a Minneapolis man who was detained by a police officer for more than eight minutes after being accused of possessing an unauthentic $20 note.
In September 2020, a lady named Megan McLain filed a lawsuit against Swinney claiming that he intentionally shot Megan in the chest using a paintball gun while she was busy watching the demonstration. By this week, Swinney conceded to the lady that he attacked her, and the case was resolved without Swinney being required to pay any money in damages.
