Stanford protesters facing felony vandalism charges defer pleas

A Santa Clara County judge on Thursday deferred plea entries for 12 people charged with felony vandalism and other crimes stemming from a June 2024 protest at Stanford University’s executive offices.

The hearing took place at the county’s Superior Court in Palo Alto, where Judge Vincent Chiarello granted the defendants’ requests to postpone their pleas until Aug. 1.

Several defendants also asked to be considered for a diversion program through the probation department, which would...