Stanford protesters have felony vandalism charges dismissed after reaching agreement with attorney general

Stephanie Lam, The Mercury News on Sep 21, 2026

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California Attorney General Rob Bonta announced Monday his office will dismiss felony vandalism charges against five Stanford activists, if they complete 100 hours of community service each and pay almost $52,000 in restitution.

The defendants — German Gonzalez, Maya Burke, Taylor McCann, Hunter Taylor Black and Amy Zhai — stood trial earlier this year at Santa Clara County Superior Court to face felony vandalism and conspiracy charges that carried potential prison sentences of up to three years. The jury in February was deadlocked 9-3 and 8-4 in favor of conviction for the respective counts.

The restitution of $51,973 already has been paid among the five. Two defendants, Gonzalez and McCann, also have already finished their 100 hours, and are waiting to have it cleared by the attorney’s general office, according to Santa Clara County Deputy Public Defender Avi Singh.

The case was among the most serious prosecutions tied to pro-Palestinian campus protests nationwide. Following the mistrial, District Attorney Jeff Rosen, who was running for reelection at the time, said he would retrial the case.

But Santa Clara County Superior Court Judge Kelley Paul in May removed Rosen from the case, ruling that Rosen’s campaign fundraising and public comments had created a conflict of interest to continue prosecuting the politically charged case. Rosen won reelection in June over Daniel Chung.

As a result of the ruling, the state attorney general’s office, which represented the DA’s office for the recusal motion, became the prosecuting agency for any retrial.

The case stemmed from a Stanford office takeover and barricading that occurred on June 5, 2024. A dozen people, consisting mostly of Stanford students and alumni, entered the university’s president’s office by breaking a window and using ladders, furniture and other items to block doorways. It occurred as campus protests called on the school to divest its holdings from companies linked to Israel over the war in Gaza.

Seven of those arrested settled their cases prior to trial; three pleaded to misdemeanors, three agreed to pretrial diversion arrangements, and one opted for a youth diversion resolution.

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