Man Who Assaulted Driver Near Black Lives Matter Protest in August Is Sentenced to 20 Months in Prison

Multnomah County District Attorney Mike Schmidt called the video of the assault “violent and shocking.”

The site of the Thompson Elk Statue, removed, was severely damaged by fire, which exploded the wet limestone and concrete base. (Alex Wittwer)
By Tess Riski

Marquise Love, who attacked a driver that crashed his vehicle near a Black Lives Matter protest on Aug. 16 in downtown Portland, pleaded guilty to assault and felony riot on Nov. 9. He was sentenced to 20 months in prison and 36 months of probation.

Video emerged of the incident that showed Love, 26, kick a man in the head after the man had crashed his vehicle into a pole near a protest. That video caused a national uproar amid the White House's crackdown on Portland's civil unrest.

"Love admitted that while being aided by another person, he caused physical injury to the victim and that he and others engaged in tumultuous and violent conduct and created a grave risk of causing public alarm," the Multnomah County District Attorney's Office said in a press release Monday.

Within two days, Portland police identified and sought out Love. On Aug. 21, he turned himself in to police. Since then, he's been held in the Multnomah County Jail. For the duration of his custody, Love agreed not to seek release from jail or reduction of bail, which was set at $260,000.

During a pretrial hearing Nov. 9, prosecutors say, Love "expressed genuine remorse and apologized to the victim and wished him a speedy recovery."

"Through his criminal defense attorneys," the DA's office said, "he expressed immediate regret and remained committed to resolving this case by cooperating with the investigation and prosecution."

The victim of the incident did not attend Monday's hearing, but he told prosecutors he is not "seeking vengeance against Marquise Love and that he hoped Love would learn from what happened."

In a statement issued Monday, Multnomah County District Attorney Mike Schmidt called the video of the assault "violent and shocking."

"It outraged our community and nation. We are fortunate that the victim's injuries were not as severe as it first appeared they may have been," Schmidt said. "This is a proper resolution. Marquise Love is accepting responsibility for his actions and the punishment."

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