Bail for one of the men jailed in connection with the November shooting of five protesters at a Black Lives Matter encampment was significantly reduced Wednesday.
Judge Judge Hilary Lindell Caligiuri agreed to lower the bail for Nathan Gustavsson from $250,000 to $100,000. Gustavsson’s defense attorney, Robert Jones, argued that if he were convicted of inciting a riot, he would most likely receive probation and not jail time.
Gustavsson’s family who looked on during the hearing, said afterward said they would still struggle to raise money for bail. With a bail bondsman, the family would still have to raise 10 percent, or $10,000.
“The kid has been through hell.” Said a relative who declined to be named.
Gustavsson, 21, of Hermantown, Daniel Macey, 26, of Pine City and Joseph M. Backman, 27, of Eagan were charged in November with second-degree riot while armed for the Nov. 23 shooting at the Black Lives Matter encampment outside the Minneapolis Police Department’s 4th Precinct Headquarters in north Minneapolis. The alleged shooter, Allen “Lance” Scarsella, 23, of Lakeville, was charged with first-degree assault. He remains jailed in lieu of $500,000 bail.
Jones said his client had no role in the shooting, and was standing across the road from the precinct eating Mexican food when he was attacked by protesters. Jones added that his client suffered a bloody nose and lip and a broken tooth after he was hit by protesters who confronted him. Jones said evidence revealed that several of the shooting victims pointed out that Gustavsson had nothing to do with the incident. Jones also asked for a change of venue because of media attention to the case.
