[7] Denovo had been involved in those 1991 riots, leading to her arrest that summer for trespassing and vandalism on campus property, and for carrying concealed weapons and attacking police officers at the People's Park protests.

"[2] After Denovo was arrested again on August 8, 1991,[9] police searched a campsite where she was living with a boyfriend in the Berkeley hills, and discovered explosive devices and a list of potential targets, including several university officials.

The couple also possessed crossbows, arrows, a copy of The Anarchist Cookbook (which contains instructions for making homemade bombs), and a journal tied to her that made threatening references to Chancellor Tien.

[9] On August 25, 1992, Denovo broke into the basement of University House, the residence of Chancellor Chang-Lin Tien on the UC Berkeley campus at 5:51 am, using a blow torch to cut through bars securing a window.

Onsite, officers from the UCPD and the Oakland Police Department (OPD) spotted Denovo through a window and demanded she surrender; she fled into the house instead.

[14] In addition, Chew had been investigated three times in 1989 for the use of excessive force during his tenure with the Berkeley Police Department, where he served prior to joining the OPD in 1990.

[18] Although the Office of the Alameda County District Attorney determined the police had acted appropriately in a report released in October,[19] park activists and street people doubted the use of deadly force was justified.