Portland jury finds activists not liable for Andy Ngo attack

A Portland jury found two activists not liable in a civil lawsuit brought by investigative reporter Andy Ngo over a beating he received while undercover at a protest in the Oregon city in 2021.

A Multnomah County jury consisting of six men and six women deliberated after a weeklong trial for roughly five hours before clearing John Colin Hacker and Elizabeth Renee Richter of civil liability on Tuesday, The Oregonian reported.

Ngo, who is currently an editor for The Post Millennial, had accused Richter and Hacker of assault, battery and intentional infliction of emotional distress. He said the duo identified him, which sparked Rose City Antifa members to beat him as he was undercover at a protest.

He sought $300,000 from the activists, alleging that they incited the attack, which made it more difficult for him to report from the ground.

Three other defendants named in the lawsuit never answered it and lost by default. Judge Chanpone Sinlapasai will determine their damages at a later time. The judge did not make an immediate ruling on whether attorneys fees would be awarded.

Ngo originally filed the suit in 2020 focusing on alleged attacks by members of Antifa, from whom he sought nearly $900,000 in damages.

In a notable moment during closing arguments, defense attorney Michelle Burrows told the jurors, "I am Antifa" and the reputation associated with the group is false, according to The Post Millennial. 

She also said Ngo "grabbed the faces that he saw that night and he sued them."

Ngo posted on X that the verdict is "disappointing" and the case has been "frustrating," and he is considering his legal options.

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