Two women accused of conspiring in a Petaluma poultry facility incursion had their charges reduced in a recent court appearance. Judge Lynnette Brown reduced the felony charges against Zoe Rosenberg and Raven Deerbrook to misdemeanors and dismissed some others, following a preliminary hearing.
Previously facing several felony and misdemeanor charges including conspiracy, trespassing, petty theft, and tampering with a vehicle, the charges were reevaluated after the preliminary hearing. Rosenberg’s charges were consolidated into one felony count, while Deerbrook’s felonies were reduced and dismissed.
Rosenberg’s defense attorney, Chris Carraway, argued that the prosecution had overcharged his client to divert attention from alleged animal cruelty at Sonoma County factory farms. District Attorney Carla Rodriguez stated that the charges were adjusted based on the evidence presented during the hearing.
Rosenberg, associated with Direct Action Everywhere (DxE), a Berkeley-based animal rights group, was involved in an incident last June where protesters took birds from a Petaluma Poultry vehicle. DxE has denied responsibility for an avian flu outbreak, which affected 10 Sonoma County poultry operations.
The prosecution argued that Rosenberg and Deerbrook were involved in the incursion, supported by footage from the protest. However, defense attorneys contested the clarity of the footage.
The incursion incident occurred amidst ongoing tensions between animal activists and the poultry industry. Rosenberg’s arrest came after the sentencing of DxE co-founder Wayne Hsiung for similar charges.
Both Rosenberg and Deerbrook are set to appear in court again for arraignment on the revised charges. Defense attorneys claim the prosecution’s handling of the case constitutes an abuse of discretion.
