Jared ‘Riley’ Dowell, the transgender child of House Minority Whip Katherine Clark (D-Mass.), will receive probation after being charged with assaulting a Boston police officer and vandalizing city property on the Boston Common in January.
Dowell, a 23-year-old man who uses she/her pronouns, was charged with assault with a dangerous weapon and property damage following a destructive protest event on Jan. 21. Police said Dowell spray-painted the Parkman Bandstand Monument with the words “NO COP CITY” and “ACAB,” an acronym often used in place of the phrase “all cops are bad” or “all cops are [expletive].” While police attempted to arrest Dowell, a group of other demonstrators began to interfere and at least one officer was struck in the face, causing bleeding to his nose and mouth.
On Wednesday, Boston Municipal Court Judge Steven Key handed Dowell a pretrial probation agreement that will allow for the charges against Dowell to be dismissed upon completion of the probation period.
According to the probation terms, which NTD News reviewed, Dowell has to write a letter of apology to Daniel Roca, the Boston police officer who was injured during the Jan. 21 arrest incident. The Boston Globe reported that Dowell has already written this apology letter.
Dowell also must complete 30 hours of community service by May 3, 2024, complete another community-based program, continue a course of individual therapy, and stay away from the Boston Common.
Dowell will also have to repay the city of Boston for cleaning the graffiti, though the parties involved in the case still need to determine that repayment cost.
Pretrial probation is a favorable outcome for a defendant as it allows them to avoid prosecution so long as they complete the probation terms. If a defendant can successfully complete a pretrial probation, they also avoid having the case count towards their criminal record. If, however, a defendant violates the probation conditions, the criminal case can proceed and a defendant may be found guilty.
January Police Clash
Demonstrators have been protesting and rioting to stop the construction of a new police training facility in Atlanta, Georgia. The protesters have referred to the police facility as “Cop City” and have rallied support around calls for “no cop city” and “stop cop city.”
The demonstrations in Atlanta have reportedly galvanized protests in other cities throughout the country and activists from Massachusetts and other states have been arrested at the “Cop City” protests in Atlanta.
Dowell’s alleged graffiti messages of “NO COP CITY” and “ACAB” may have been in reference to the anti-police demonstrations in Atlanta.
It’s not entirely clear how closely Dowell may have associated with the “Cop City” protests. The Jan. 21 protest in Boston came just three days after police fatally shot Manuel Esteban Paez Terán while clearing out “Cop City” demonstrators near the Atlanta construction site. Police have claimed Terán shot and injured a police officer before they returned fire, killing the activist.
Boston police said that as they arrested Dowell during the Jan. 21 clash, “a group of about 20 protesters began to surround officers while screaming profanities though megaphones on the public street causing traffic to come to a standstill.”
Clark acknowledged her child’s criminal case in tweet following the arrest.
“Last night, my daughter was arrested in Boston, Massachusetts. I love Riley, and this is a very difficult time in the cycle of joy and pain in parenting,” Clark said. “This will be evaluated by the legal system, and I am confident in that process.”
On March 31, Clark again mentioned Dowell in a statement observing “Trans Day of Visibility.”
“I rise with unconditional love for my trans daughter, Riley. And I rise in solidarity with every trans American seeking nothing less than their inalienable right to the pursuit of happiness,” Clark’s March 31 statement reads. “To stand in the way of that right is to stand against our most basic American values. But that’s exactly what MAGA extremists are doing across this country. On school boards. In state capitols. Here in the halls of Congress. Elected officials are using their power to undermine the freedoms and human dignity of trans Americans. And they’re waging an especially vicious crusade on our kids.”
NTD News reached out to Clark’s office for comment on the latest development in her child’s case but did not receive a response by the time this article was published.
