A former University of Wisconsin graduate student is on federal trial for allegedly interfering with police radios during last fall’s Halloween riots on State Street.

Madison police officers testified Monday against Rajib K. Mitra, 25, saying they were unable to handle the riots properly or control the crowds because their radios had been jammed.

The result of Mitra’s alleged interference disrupted the radio connection between EMTs, firefighters and police officers on State Street, they said.

“Radios are extremely important; they are literally a lifeline,” Capt. Louis Yudice said. “If [the radio] is cut or short-circuited, it can have a tremendous impact.”

The importance of the radio was especially significant at the time of the riots because the safety of people on State Street was in jeopardy, he added.

“The Halloween staffing plan is a large complex organization, and the important thing is to keep safe those out on the streets but also police and firefighters too,” Yudice said.

The result of the riots left many UW students speculating about how the situation was handled.

“As a freshman, I was surprised at how severe the vandalism was and how little control the police had over the situation,” UW freshman Megan Wood said.

The radio jamming affected the ability of police officers to call for backup or ambulances during the riots, according to Yudice.

Still, students such as UW sophomore Elizabeth Fenzel find it hard to see how one person could be responsible for the Halloween riots.

“[Mitra] certainly didn’t help the situation on State Street, but how can you blame the handling of the riots on one guy?” Fenzel said. “There were so many police officers around that night within yelling distance of each other.”

Whether or not Mitra will be convicted on the two accounts of interference with police transmission is yet to be seen because of the nature of Mitra’s intent.

“It is clearly a crime to interfere and obstruct police transmissions,” UW political science professor Donald Downs said. “It’s intentional.”

Downs said he sees the case as “pretty cut and dried” because, “depending on how the statute is written, it could fall under the intent to obstruct justice or under intent to harm the criminal-justice system,” Downs said. “Whether it was his intent or not is the question.”

When dealing with questionable intent, Downs said he is familiar with such past cases where the suspect’s aim was not always clear.

“The only case [Mitra] might have is if the statute is written in such a way that says his specific intent was something else,” Downs said.

In this way, Mitra will be able to plead his original intent was not to interfere with police transmission. However, his ability and knowledge of jamming police radios may make him more liable, Downs said.

Mitra’s ability to pull off such a stunt may have been a personal challenge much like shoplifting, Downs added.

If convicted of the two counts of computer interference with police communications, Mitra could face up to 20 years in prison, according to The Capital Times.

Yudice said this case is especially important in Madison because many officers work alone and use the radio as the line of communication between the dispatcher and fellow officers.