BHe is said to have climbed the Peace Memorial in front of the Capitol, photographed himself, and held his badge at the camera: On Tuesday, the first active federal policeman was accused of participating in the January 6 attack on the Capitol. Mark I., from California, works for DEA drug search, Should carry his service weapon with youWhen he joins followers Donald Trump Who protested the election results in front of the building.
On Monday, the first serious criminal conviction: Paul Allard Hodgkins of Tampa, Florida (Paul Allard Hodgkins) was sentenced to eight months in prison for interfering with the work of the Capitol Police. The January 6 video showed him holding a Trump banner in the Senate room where the rioters broke into.
The legal treatment of the attack has just begun. Hodgkins’ first conviction was a serious crime (“felon”), and other previous convictions were misdemeanors. An Indiana woman described the “storm” of the Capitol as “the most exciting day of my life” and was sentenced to three years probation without imprisonment. A man in Florida was sentenced to six months in prison, including pretrial detention. Both said they regretted ignoring the barriers of the Capitol and police instructions.
What is the charging standard?
According to the Ministry of Justice, since the riots, more than 535 people have been arrested for entering or attempting to break into the Capitol, including at least 67 women. Among those temporarily arrested, 165 allegedly committed acts of violence against police or Capitol employees. So far, 50 people have been accused of bringing guns into the Capitol or seriously injuring the police.
Most defendants must be held responsible for obstructing law enforcement officials, destroying public property, or living without permission. The government used the term “terrorism” in three complaints, but it did not constitute a formal accusation. About 40 people were accused of conspiracy. The prosecutor hoped to prove to them that they did plan and carry out a joint attack. Among all the suspects, there are at least 80 members of right-wing organizations, such as “Guardians of Oaths”, “Three Percenters” or “Proud Boys.”
Three hundred unidentified thugs
So far, among all the defendants, at least 18 have pleaded guilty. According to media reports, seven people are working extensively with prosecutors. There are also four members of the right-wing “Guardians of Oaths”. According to the Federal Police FBI, the organization is composed of local self-styled militias who claim to be defenders of freedom and oppose the government system infiltrated by dark forces. The authorities have not yet determined that the other 300 people are believed to have committed violent acts, including 200 who attacked the police. Federal prosecutors described the March investigation as the most complicated investigation ever conducted by the Justice Department.
It can be concluded from the indictment that a high percentage of the defendants have military backgrounds: 56 of them are or have been soldiers, one is still serving, and four are reservists. In addition, according to media reports, there are at least fifty former or active police and judicial personnel, as well as at least two firefighters. A retired California police chief is also among the defendants.
The defense strategies of their lawyers range from economic and personal issues to political indoctrination. According to the Washington Post The defense mentioned “middle-age crisis” or “stupidity” as well as “Foxmania” and “Trumpitis”, as one lawyer put it, it alluded to conservative television stations and former presidents.
Donald Trump himself was quoted again in a new book, expressing his appreciation for troublemakers. “From my personal point of view, they want what I want,” the former president said at the end of March In an interview with authors Carol Leonnig and Philip RuckerTrump said that the demonstrators who later attacked the Capitol, like him, believed that the election of President Joe Biden was “fraudulent”-just to “express their support.”
