Loay Alnaji pleads guilty to felony charges in connection with 2023 death of Paul Kessler during protests in Thousand Oaks

VENTURA COUNTY, Calif. (KEYT) – Loay Abdel Fattah Alnaji of Moorpark pled guilty Tuesday to all charged counts in connection with the death of Paul Kessler after Alnaji hit Kessler in the head with a megaphone during protests in Thousand Oaks in November of 2023.

Alnaji pled guilty to a felony count of involuntary manslaughter and a felony count of battery causing serious injury as well as the special allegations that he used a weapon during the crime and that the victim was particularly vulnerable shared the Ventura County District Attorney's Office.

On Nov. 5, 2023, both men were participating in dueling protests at the corner of Thousand Oaks Boulevard and Westlake Boulevard when Alnaji struck Kessler in the head with a megaphone which caused Kessler to fall to the ground and hit his head detailed the Ventura County District Attorney's Office.

Kessler later died from injuries sustained during the incident.

During a preliminary hearing in May of last year, video and audio evidence from Kessler's cell phone was also presented as well as testimony from Ventura County Medical Examiner Dr. Othon Mena stating that Kessler died from blunt force trauma caused by both a megaphone and subsequent fall to the pavement stated the Ventura County District Attorney's Office.

Dr. Mena was one of 18 total witnesses called during the preliminary hearing before a trial began shared the Ventura County District Attorney's Office.

Notably, Alnaji called 9-1-1 from the scene of the incident and cooperated with authorities.

Alnaji is next due in court for a sentencing hearing on June 25, 2026, where he faces up to four years in prison and the court has indicated it is likely to place him on formal probation with up to 365 days in jail explained the Ventura County District Attorney's Office.

He remains out of custody on a $50,000 bail added the local prosecutor's office.

"Alnaji should be sentenced to prison for his violent behavior, and our office strongly objects to any lesser sentence," said District Attorney Erik Nasarenko. "While no amount of punishment will ever fully account for the Kessler family loss, a prison commitment underscores the severity of this crime and will deter others from committing similar acts of violence."