Tag Archives: Capitol Hill Breach

Capitol rioter Barnett, who posed with feet on Pelosi’s desk, found guilty

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Remember the Capitol Hill rioter who posed with his feet propped up atop former House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s desk? Identified as Richard “Bigo” Barnett, the man has been found guilty of all charges finally.

Barnett was among the crowd of thousands of supporters of former President Donald Trump who stormed Congress on January 6, 2021, in an attempt to overturn the 2020 presidential election result, reports the BBC.

Pelosi, the former House Speaker was forced to flee the chamber floor with other lawmakers as the protesters stormed their way into the building.

Armed with a stun gun, Barnett, a former firefigher, posed for photos after breaking into Pelosi’s office and boasted of stealing an envelope before leaving the premises.

He also wrote a note on her desk using a sexist slur, and used a bullhorn to brag to the crowd that “I took Nancy Pelosi’s office”.

On Monday, a jury in Washington D.C. deliberated for less than three hours before convicting the 62-year-old of all eight charges against him, which include obstruction of an official proceeding; entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds with a deadly weapon; and theft of government property.

Prosecutors argued that Barnett came to Washington D.C. from his home in Arkansas “prepared for violence”.

Barnett, who chose to testify in his own defence during the trial, argued that he was caught up “in the moment” and was “going with the flow”, the BBC reported.

After the verdict was read on Monday, Barnett said he did not get a fair trial because the jury was not made up of his “peers”.

His lawyer, Joe McBride, said he would appeal.

“Washington D.C., is not a state. He’s not surrounded by people of Arkansas, where he came from,” the BBC quoted McBride, referring to the city’s status as a district rather than one of the 50 US states, as saying.

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The judge allowed Barnett to remain free until his sentencing hearing on May 3. He is facing decades in federal prison.

Barnett’s trial has been one of the most high-profile to stem from the riot.

Over 940 people have been charged with federal crimes related to the breach and nearly 500 have pleaded guilty so far.

 

 

 

 

3 Found Guilty of Felony, Misdemeanor Related to Capitol Breach

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Three men were found guilty in the District of Columbia of felony and misdemeanor offenses for their actions during the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol breach, disrupting a joint session of the U.S. Congress.

In the 20 months since Jan. 6, 2021, more than 870 individuals have been arrested in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including over 265 individuals charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement.

The three defendants found guilty include Patrick E. McCaughey III, 25, of Ridgefield, Connecticut; Tristan Chandler Stevens, 26, of Pensacola, Florida, and David Mehaffie, 63, of Kettering, Ohio.  The verdicts followed a bench trial before U.S. District Judge Trevor N. McFadden.

According to the evidence, on Jan. 6, 2021, McCaughey, Stevens, and Mehaffie all traveled to Washington, D.C. from their respective homes and made their way on to the restricted grounds of the U.S. Capitol. McCaughey and Stevens taunted officers at the West Front, and Mehaffie yelled at nearby rioters who were hesitating to illegally cross the outer perimeter, “if we can’t fight over this wall, we can’t win this battle!”

The three defendants ultimately broke through the police line after approximately 2:30 p.m., when the line on the West Front failed under the siege of the advancing mob. Each of the defendants scaled the Southwest scaffolding and staircase, to converge together at the tunnel created by the inaugural platform structure on the Lower West Terrace of the Capitol Building.

At the Lower West Terrace, the three defendants attempted to break into the building by directing other rioters, participating in heave-hos against the police line, using riot shields stolen from the Capitol Police, and assaulting three specific officers. Mehaffie hung from an archway and shouted direction from above, and McCaughey and Stevens were key players in the melee below.

McCaughey grabbed a riot shield and used it as a weapon. Even after officers finally cleared the tunnel area, the three defendants illegally remained on Capitol grounds. He was arrested on Jan. 19, 2021, in South Salem, New York. Stevens was arrested on Feb. 5, 2021, in Pensacola, Florida. Mehaffie was arrested on Aug. 12, 2021, in Kettering, Ohio.

McCaughey was found guilty of a total of nine offenses and Stevens was also found guilty of a total of nine offenses. Mehaffie was found guilty of a total of four offenses.

McCaughey is to be sentenced on Jan. 26, 2023. Stevens will be sentenced on Jan. 13, 2023 and  Mehaffie is to be sentenced on Jan. 27, 2023. The Court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.