Police put a former University of North Carolina student under arrest and charged him with trespassing and resisting arrest two weeks ago--possibly because he showed concern about a tuition rate increase, according to the Daily Tarheel.

Situations such as this highlight how important the right to a criminal defense is for those accused of a crime, no matter how small.

The accused had reportedly been sitting in a chair at the University of North Carolina System Board of Governors' meeting, where the tuition hikes were undergoing approval. There were also protestors outside the building at the time.

He apparently got up to go to the restroom and get a drink of water and when he tried to return to his reserved seat, authorities stopped him and arrested him. It is unclear whether there were any other arrests associated with the protests.

The accused, who is former president of the Association of Student Governments, has been charged with second-degree trespassing and resistance.

He said that he considers the charges baseless. He plans to plead not guilty to all charges, according to news reports.

The law creates a presumption of innocence for all criminal defendants. Unless the government can prove actual wrongdoing, it has no authority convict a person of criminal conduct. Unfortunately, things such as public opinion or over-zealous authorities may sometimes weaken this safeguard.

Every defendant has the right to have an attorney help them present their case. Hopefully, this man will not be convicted for merely attending this meeting. Adequate legal representation will go a long way toward preventing this injustice.

Source: The Daily Tarheel, "Student charged with trespassing and resistance," Feb. 13, 2012