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Two Turning Point USA workers have admitted to charges from an October incident in which they followed and filmed a queer Arizona State University instructor on campus, with one of them eventually pushing the instructor face first onto the concrete.
Braden Ellis filmed David Boyles, the writing instructor, as he was walking, while Kalen D’Almeida accused Boyles of being attracted to minors and said “David, you can’t run. It’s best if you just talk to me about why you want to push sodomy onto young people.” Boyles remained silent.
This was captured in a video that Turning Point USA, a conservative group, posted online. That video ends abruptly. Campus security footage shows what happened then: Boyles reached for the camera, seemingly trying to grab it or otherwise stop the recording—but D’Almeida almost immediately pushes Boyles to the ground.
Arizona State police charged D’Almeida with misdemeanor charges of assault, harassment and disorderly conduct, and Ellis with misdemeanor harassment. Earlier this week, Phoenix-based 12News uploaded deferred prosecution program agreements that both men signed. Each admitted, as part of signing the documents, “that I committed the offense as charged. I acknowledge that this admission of guilt may be used against me if I do not successfully complete the diversion program.”
Andrew Kolvet, a Turning Point USA spokesman, told Inside Higher Ed that the language is “boilerplate.” He said “they have not been found guilty of anything in court.”
He said the organization paid their legal fees.
“The guy fell down because he was wearing high platform shoes and a skirt,” Kolvet said. He called what D’Almeida did “a defensive action,” and said “we fully support Kalen and Braden. We don’t think they did anything wrong.” (Kolvet said Ellis left the organization about a month ago.)
An ASU spokesperson said in an email that the university “is pleased with the Turning Point USA defendants’ admission of guilt in court in their respective roles in the harassment and injury inflicted on one of our instructors in October 2023. Harassment or threatening behavior toward ASU employees will not be tolerated.”
Rachel Mitchell, the Maricopa County Attorney, said in a statement that “Any view that diversion is a lesser penalty is antiquated. Under my leadership, diversion demands far more of defendants. We will continue to protect the rights of all people in Maricopa County, including members of the LGBTQ+ community.”
