Overview
- Federal prosecutors filed a motion on March 12 to drop the indictment against Catherine “Cat” Sharp and Joselyn Walsh with prejudice, which would bar refiling if approved by Judge April Perry.
- Four co-defendants — Kat Abughazaleh, Michael Rabbitt, Brian Straw and Andre Martin — remain charged, with a March 31 hearing and a May 26 trial date set.
- The charges arise from a Sept. 26 protest outside ICE’s Broadview facility, where the indictment alleges protesters surrounded a government vehicle and damaged a mirror and wiper.
- Prosecutors recently revised the indictment and told the court the alleged conspiracy was confined to Sept. 26 and was spontaneous, with no evidence of an explicit agreement.
- The move fits a broader pattern from Operation Midway Blitz cases in Chicago, where 32 people faced non‑immigration charges and, if this dismissal is granted, 19 will have been cleared with no convictions to date.