CHARLOTTE — A jury in Charlotte found protesters William Stanley and Heather Morrow guilty of multiple charges Wednesday, including obstruction and simple assault, following a three-day trial stemming from a November 2025 confrontation at a Department of Homeland Security facility.
The charges arose from protest activities during Operation Charlotte’s Web, a federal immigration operation in Charlotte that resulted in the detention of 425 people. Federal prosecutors stated the defendants ignored officer commands to leave the south Charlotte facility, while defense attorneys argued the parking lot and entryway were open to the public.
Morrow was convicted of petty charges, including obstructing law enforcement, impeding, failure to comply and misdemeanor simple assault. Federal prosecutors originally charged Morrow with a felony until arrest video surfaced showing Morrow touching an officer who was grabbing Stanley.
Stanley was found guilty of petty charges, including obstructing law enforcement, impeding, and failure to comply. He was found not guilty of simple assault.
Defense attorneys argued that neither defendant was on federal property or impeding officers during the Border Patrol operation.
Defense attorneys expressed concern that Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents lost security camera footage that defense counsel believes would have supported their case. Neither defendant spoke publicly after the verdict.
Following the ruling, community supporters expressed concern about potential effects on future demonstrations across the country.
“It’s bigger than these two defendants,” said Julie Crandell, a member of Indivisible Lake Norman. “It’s bigger than what we’re doing here. This is about who we are as a country. These two people were heroes. They were standing up for the most vulnerable.”
Morrow’s attorney announced plans to contest the ruling.
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