Alexander Stokes Contompasis is an independent journalist and artist from Albany, NY.

Alex’s work documenting social unrest began in 2014, when he started hosting a local public access channel called News World: Albany Banana Corps. He and others commented on news stories; filmed demonstrations against police brutality, environmental issues and other local matters; as well as music performances, public events and meetings. He interviewed local activists and politicians, law enforcement officers, and concerned citizens. You can view his collection on the Videos page.

In addition to art and journalism, Alex had been taking classes and preparing to become an Emergency Medical Technician before his life changed.

January 6, 2021: Protestors, led by the white nationalist right-wing extremist groups the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers, gathered outside the New York State Capitol in Albany, NY in support of the Stop the Steal rally in Washington DC.  Alex attended to document the event with a handful of counter protesters assembled at the rally. A member of the counter-protest was tased in the neck by a Proud Boy and a short melee broke out.  Alex, watching from the sidelines, ran to help. His wrist was broken during the fighting. Uniformed and undercover police, on the scene, did not intervene until the violence had ended. Ultimately Alex and three Black activists were arrested that day. Alex was charged with several violent felonies. Even though the protestors initiated and engaged in the violence, only one was arrested at the scene.  The Proud Boy, who initiated the violence when he tasered a Black man in the neck, was later arrested and sentenced to 30 days of community service.

After being arrested, Alex was under a court-ordered gag-order for over a year which limited his journalistic career and prevented him from telling “his story.”  Only 9 days after the January 6 incident, the Albany County District Attorney David Soares released a video warning protesters to not come to Albany County with “with incivility in your heart and chaos in your mind”. Similar language would be used in opening statements at Alex’s trial. Soares would later lose his bid for re-election in 2024 after the accidental discovery of the $22,000 bonus he gave to himself using grant money.

After waiting nearly two years, Alex was denied adequate defense during his rushed three-day trial.  Although Alex wrote a piece on the rally prior to Jan. 6, 2021, the court determined that his previous work and experience as a journalist reporting on dangerous hate groups were inadmissible for his defense.  But the prosecution was allowed to pick apart his social media accounts and portrayed his actions as premeditated. Discussion of the Proud Boys was prohibited at trial.

He was found guilty on two separate counts of assault and a weapons charge and sentenced to 20 years in prison; a 12-year and 8-year sentences served consecutively instead of concurrently.

Alex has no previous violent criminal history, has lifelong ties to the Albany community, and was sentenced far more severely than most who committed reckless and premeditated acts of violence.  No one died and neither stabbing victim received life-altering injuries. In fact, one began an EMT job just 6 weeks later. Alex’s sentence is longer than those who assaulted a police officer at the US Capitol and organized the US Capitol insurrection. He is the last American still serving time for January 6, 2021 violence.

Alex’s family and friends maintain that he was railroaded by the system and punished for his political beliefs and active presence at police brutality protests. Several issues concerning the DA’s timeliness in turning over evidence, juror selection, and ineffective assistance of counsel were raised during his appeal. NYS has rejected his appeal attempts. Alex will apply for Executive Clemency in the future.