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Jacob Blake, the black man whose shooting by police sparked protests, has pleaded not guilty to the criminal charges brought before the incident.
Blake, who is paralyzed in the hospital, is charged with burglary, sexual assault and disorderly conduct according to statements from his ex-girlfriend.
The criminal complaint was filed in July and is not related to the August 23 shooting in Kenosha, Wisconsin.
A trial on the complaint is scheduled to begin later this year.
According to the criminal complaint, Blake is charged with sexually assaulting a woman in May.
The woman told officers that Blake, 29, took the car keys and a debit card before fleeing the scene.
According to the Kenosha County District Attorney’s Office, these were the charges Mr. Blake was wanted on at the time of the August 23 shooting.
- What we know about the Jacob Blake shooting
- Two incidents, two different police responses
On Friday, Mr. Blake was in his hospital bed when he appeared via Zoom to plead not guilty.
But a local commissioner decided there was enough evidence to take the matter to trial.
The criminal complaint did not identify Mr. Blake’s ex-girlfriend by name.
And the August 23 shooting?
A police officer shot Blake seven times in the back during an arrest as he tried to get into a car where his three children were sitting.
The Kenosha Police Union Says Mr. Blake was carrying a knife; Investigators said a knife was later found on the floor of his car.
According to ABC News, police were called to the area to respond to a report of domestic violence.
Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul said officers had been called to an address after a woman reported that “her boyfriend was present and was not supposed to be on the premises.”
While there, they attempted to arrest Mr. Blake, initially using a taser gun.
Two people protesting the Mr. Blake shooting were killed in Kenosha amid widespread looting and vandalism. A 17-year-old has been charged in the deaths.
