UNITED STATES: Four extremist members of the Oath Keepers group were found guilty of their involvement with the rebellious conspiracy in Washington on January 6, 2021, in a significant victory for the federal prosecutors. They were also convicted of two other conspiracy charges about fomenting attacks on the Capitol.
Among the hundreds who attacked the Capitol, endeavouring to stop Congress from ensuring the Democrats’ victory against Republicans in the 2020 presidential elections, the four members of the far-right group were a part of the second necessary sedition trial.
A third significant sedition trial is ongoing against five Proud Boys defenders, an extremist, right-wing militant group.
A 12-member jury convicted David Moerschel, Joseph Hackett, Roberto Minuta, and Edward Vallejo of participating in the seditious conspiracy.
The attorneys have, however, said that inadequate evidence had been received of these four members’ major involvement with the Oath Keepers.
An attorney for Moerschel, Scott Weinberg, reported that it would have been convenient if the four defenders’ trial happened together with that of the Oath Keepers founder, Stewart Rhodes, linking them up to the “real bad guy.”
“These men were swept up by the Stop the Steal nonsense that the president pushed,” Weinberg said.
Despite the four defendants being convicted of the most heinous crimes, others were accused of other crimes.
During the Civil War, the law would sentence the guilty to a maximum of 20 years in prison—legislation that is rarely enforced today. Founder Stewart Rhodes and another group leader from Florida were charged with and proven guilty of another conspiracy in a trial held in November.
Five defendants in that trial were convicted on the grounds of stopping Congress from certifying elections; three of them were not found guilty of that charge.
The prosecutors have charged more than 950 people for continuing the riot, which led to four deaths in the mayhem. A total of five police members died due to varied reasons following the attack.
Many people sought inspiration from Rhodes’ captivating statement about the “bloody war” that caught the limelight.
All four men are confined to home detention in light of upcoming sentencing.
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