Verdicts are expected to be read at 11 a.m. in the case of 10 students accused of disrupting a speech by the Israeli ambassador at UC Irvine.
The jury began deliberations Tuesday. The students are each charged with one misdemeanor count of conspiracy to disturb a meeting and one misdemeanor count of disturbing a meeting.
If convicted, each student could be sentenced to up to six months in jail, probation with community service or fines.
During Ambassador Michael Oren's Feb. 8, 2010 speech, the defendants -- many of whom belong to the Muslim Student Union -- stood up, minutes apart, and yelled slogans. Their actions were described by prosecutors as a "heckler's veto" of the speech.
Deputy District Attorney Dan Wagner argued that the rules of the meeting were spelled out when the students were admonished after the first couple of interruptions by UCI professor Mark Petracca and UCI Chancellor Michael Drake. Wagner had to prove to jurors that the students were aware of the rules, conspired to break them and had no other outlet to carry out their protest.
Defense attorney Reem Salahi argued that the students were warned before the event that no disruptions would be tolerated, meaning they were effectively denied an outlet for their free-speech rights, which should lead to an acquittal.
Seven of the defendants are UC Irvine students -- Mohamad Mohy-Eldeen Abdelgany, 23; Aslam Abbasi Akhtar, 23; Joseph Tamim Haider, 23; Mohammad Uns Qureashi, 19; Ali Mohammad Sayeed, 23; Osama Ahmen Shabaik, 22; and Asaad Mohamedidris Traina, 19.
Three defendants are UC Riverside students -- Khalid Gahgat Akari, 19; Taher Mutaz Herzallah, 21; and Shaheen Waleed Nassar, 21.
An 11th defendant, UC Irvine student Hakim Nasreddine Kebir, will have his case dismissed if he completes 40 hours of community service by Friday.
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