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Absecon man charged in A.C. riots to be freed

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An Absecon artist jailed since the Atlantic City riots will soon be out of jail.
Na'im Nixon won an appeal after a judge order him detained as his case goes through the courts.
Nixon was in Atlantic City on May 31 for the peaceful protest sparked by the killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police, his supporters say.
But when the protest ended, the riots began.
Nixon, 28, wound up beaten, maced and in handcuffs.
Video, supporters say, shows it was not Nixon who attacked an officer, leading to charges of riot, resisting arrest and violation of an emergency order
Nixon had been ordered held in the Atlantic County jail at a detention hearing earlier this month.
But on Tuesday, an appeal was granted and Nixon is expected to be freed later this week.
The charges are still pending.
"God is good," Nixon's mother, Christie Nixon, said. "(I'm) thankful for everyone who went through it with us. I love each and everyone."
The decision was sealed, but BreakingAC has confirmed that it sends the case back to the Superior Court to determine the conditions of Nixon's release.
"We're pleased to hear that Na'im will be released, although it's frustrating it had to come to this at all," defense attorney Scott Salmon said. "Na'im was peacefully protesting when the incident occurred, so we are confident that we will ultimately prevail at trial."
Many rallied around Nixon, a father who has been part of 10 murals that are part of Atlantic City's 48 Blocks project.
More than $10,000 has been raised toward his medical and legal bills via GoFundMe.
A petition to Gov. Phil Murphy calling for Nixon to be freed has reached 871 signatures.

author

Lynda Cohen

BreakingAC founder who previously worked in newspapers for more than two decades. She is an NJPA award-winner and was a Stories of Atlantic City fellow.

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