Berkeley suspect pleads not guilty, banned from campus

Zachary Greenberg, the 28-year-old man charged with assaulting Leadership Institute Field Representative Hayden Williams, pleaded not guilty at his first court appearance in Oakland, California on Wednesday, during which he was also ordered not to go within 100 yards of the UC-Berkeley campus. 

Greenberg, who police say is the man seen in the viral video punching Williams multiple times, damaging Williams’ cellphone, and threatening to “shoot” Williams, pleaded not guilty to three felony counts and one misdemeanor count, according to Williams’ attorney, Harmeet Dhillon, who was inside the courtroom. 

Greenberg’s attorney, Alanna Coopersmith, made remarks to the press following her client’s not guilty plea. 

[RELATED: Berkeley assault suspect now faces THREE FELONY counts, one misdemeanor (UPDATE)]

”Mr. Greenberg is a 28-year-old man. He was using the library at UC-Berkeley to study. He has a clean record. I realize that many people observing this case are interested in constitutional freedom. I would remind them that one important constitutional freedom is the presumption of innocence, due process of law, due process in a courtroom, not on social media or the internet,” Coopersmith said. 

Asked the reason for Greenberg’s presence on Berkeley’s campus at the time of the alleged assault, Coopersmith said that Greenberg was using the library to study but that he is not currently a student at the college. Coopersmith did say, however, that Greenberg is a student “elsewhere.”

Coopersmith also said that it is “premature” to say whether Williams, whom the police report characterized as the “victim,” incited Greenberg.

According to Dhillon, Greenberg’s first trial date is set for April 9. 

In a statement to Campus Reform following the arraignment, Dhillon said, “we are pleased that the DA’s office is prosecuting this matter seriously,” adding that the three felony charges and one misdemeanor charge are “evidence of that.” 

[RELATED: VIDEO: Conservative suffers blow to the face at Berkeley (UPDATE: Police ID suspect)]

As for the alleged crimes, Dhillon said the evidence against Greenberg is clear, citing the video.

”He [Williams] wasn’t even looking at Greenberg when he was clocked in the face with a closed fist,” Dhillon said. 

Williams attorney also told Campus Reform that Greenberg was ordered to stay away from Williams and not go within 100 yards of the UC-Berkeley campus. 

This is a developing story. Updates will be added.

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