Moorpark resident Loay Abdel Fattah Alnaji has been sentenced to one year in the county jail and two years of felony probation for the death of 69-year-old Paul Kessler.
Alnaji previously pleaded guilty to felony involuntary manslaughter and felony battery causing serious bodily injury. He also admitted special allegations that he personally inflicted great bodily injury, used a weapon, and that the victim was particularly vulnerable.
To read the official statement detailing the investigation and courtroom arguments, you can view the verified Ventura County District Attorney's Office News Release Feed.
The Ventura County District Attorney’s Office argued for a state prison sentence and formally objected to the court's decision to impose the local jail time and probation.
The fatal encounter unfolded on November 5, 2023, during political protests at the intersection of Thousand Oaks Boulevard and Westlake Boulevard in Thousand Oaks.
According to investigators, Alnaji escalated a verbal altercation into a physical confrontation. Alnaji struck Kessler in the head with a megaphone, causing Kessler to fall to the ground and hit his head on the pavement.
Kessler later died from the injuries sustained during the incident. Alnaji remained at the scene, called 911, and provided investigators with a statement. He was taken into custody by authorities days later.
Prior to the sentencing hearing, Mr. Kessler’s widow submitted a victim impact statement describing the deep loss of her husband of 43 years, noting that the grief is relentless and the silence in their home remains a daily burden.
District Attorney Erik Nasarenko publicly stated that given the circumstances of the case and the resulting death, the DA's office believed a state prison commitment was the appropriate and just sentence.
**THE QUICK BREAKDOWN
- The Sentence: Loay Abdel Fattah Alnaji received 1 year in county jail and 2 years of felony probation.
- The DA Objection: Prosecution officials formally objected to the ruling, having argued for a state prison commitment.
- The Fatal Incident: Alnaji struck 69-year-old Kessler with a megaphone during a 2023 street protest, causing a fatal fall.
- The Legal Pleads: Alnaji pleaded guilty to felony involuntary manslaughter and battery, admitting to weapon use and victim vulnerability.
- The Context: Alnaji stayed at the scene after the confrontation, contacted emergency services, and cooperated with the initial investigation.
While the prosecution maintained that the severity of the physical confrontation and the loss of life warranted a multi-year state prison sentence, the court ultimately exercised its discretion to mandate local jail confinement and extended probation.
The resolution brings a legal close to a tragedy that began in a public space designated for free speech.
Senior Deputy District Attorney David Russell of the Major Crimes Unit managed the prosecution, ensuring the baseline felony convictions were secured on the record.
As Alnaji begins his term in the local facility, the local community and legal observers continue to analyze the balance between the defense's mitigating factors and the permanent loss experienced by the Kessler family.