Judge hears testimony in trials involving alleged race-related uptown melee
/Several of the defendants from a June uptown
disturbance appeared for trial in Athens County Municipal Court
Wednesday, but one of the trials and the judge's ruling on the cases
were continued until Sept. 24. Kendall Frenche, Sam Smyth, Ronny
Muasher, Amy Thomas and Lauren Norton were all arrested the morning of
June 4 after a large crowd formed on Court Street following a fight in
front of Evolution, 19 S. Court St. Their trials began Wednesday
afternoon. At the time of their arrests, all five defendants were Ohio
University students. In the wake of the June 4 disturbance, several of
the defendants charged that police actions that morning, including use
of a Taser stun gun against one defendant, were motivated by race. Most
of the defendants are black or minorities. [more 
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