Four activists from the far-right group Oath Keepers, an anti-government pro-gun group launched in 2009, have been found guilty of sedition for participating in the January 6, 2021 assault on the US Capitol.
For that attack, more than 950 supporters of former Republican President Donald Trump have been arrested and charged with wreak havoc on the seat of American democracy.
Among them, only 14 activists from far-right groups – nine members of “Oath Keepers” and five from “Proud Boys” – have been accused of “sedition”, a charge that is punishable by up to 20 years in prison for having planned the use of force to oppose the government. In this case, when trying to prevent congressmen from certifying the victory of Democratic President Joe Biden over Donald Trump in the November 2020 elections.
Due to lack of space in the federal court in Washington, justice organized the trial of the Oath Keepers, accused of having trained and armed for the occasion, in two stages.
A first trial concluded at the end of November with a mitigated verdict: the founder of this militia, Stewart Rhodes, and a local official were convicted of seditionbut the three co-defendants were acquitted of this charge.
On Monday, at the end of the second trial, jurors found guilty the last four Oath Keepers, men between the ages of 38 and 64 described as dangerous “traitors” by the prosecution but as “show-offs” by their lawyers. They are Roberto Minuta, Joseph Hackett, David Moerschel and Edward Vallejo.
The trial of the Proud Boys, including their leader Enrique Tarrio, began in December and was still continuing Monday in the same court.
In another court hearing, in Washington, Richard Barnett, the American who became famous by being immortalized sitting in the office of the then Speaker of the House of Representatives, Democrat Nancy Pelosi, during the assault, he was found guilty of causing disorder in Congress and other crimes.
After brief deliberation, jurors concluded that Richard Barnett, 62, is guilty of, among other things, obstructing due process, robbery and unauthorized intrusion into an official building with a dangerous weapon.
By dangerous weapon they mean a baton capable of emitting electric shocks.
On January 6, 2021 the AFP photographed him in the office of the head of the House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, with his feet on a piece of furniture. The photograph went around the world and allowed the police to quickly arrest him.
According to the indictment, this supporter of the Qanon conspiracy movement left an insulting message to the democrat and stole an envelope that she had signed.
During the trial, he was defiant, claiming that the crowd “pushed him into” the Capitol.
Sentencing will be handed down in May. and in the meantime he will remain under house arrest with an electronic bracelet. (YO)
Source: Eluniverso
Paul is a talented author and journalist with a passion for entertainment and general news. He currently works as a writer at the 247 News Agency, where he has established herself as a respected voice in the industry.
