Ex-police officer found guilty in second Capitol riot jury trial
By Jan Wolfe
WASHINGTON (Reuters) -An off-duty police officer who breached the U.S. Capitol in the course of the Jan. 6, 2021, assault was discovered responsible of a number of felonies on Tuesday, a notable victory for prosecutors in one of many first trials referring to the assault.
In accordance with court docket paperwork, a federal jury within the District of Columbia discovered Thomas Robertson of Rocky Mount, Virginia, responsible on all six costs he faces, together with obstructing an official continuing of the U.S. Congress.
A decide will impose a sentence on Robertson at a later court docket listening to.
Robertson was a sergeant in Rocky Mount’s police division on the time of the Capitol riot.
Robertson entered the Capitol together with one other former police officer, Jacob Fracker, who pleaded responsible to comparable costs final month.
Fracker testified on behalf of the prosecution in its case towards Robertson after reaching a plea cope with the federal government final month.
About 800 individuals have been charged with crimes referring to the Jan. 6 assault. Robertson was solely the second defendant to gamble on a jury trial.
Final yr, a decide ordered Robertson to be detained in jail pending trial, after prosecutors alleged Robertson was nonetheless shopping for firearms and ammunition on-line after his arrest.
The primary Jan. 6 jury trial additionally ended up a victory for prosecutors. Final month, a distinct jury within the District of Columbia discovered Man Reffitt of Texas responsible of all 5 of the felony costs he confronted, together with bringing a gun onto the Capitol grounds and obstructing an official continuing.
Final week, a federal decide issued the primary acquittal in a legal trial stemming from the Jan. 6 assault.
Following a non-jury trial, U.S. District Decide Trevor McFadden mentioned prosecutors did not show their case towards a New Mexico man dealing with misdemeanor trespassing costs.
McFadden accepted arguments by the defendant, Matthew Martin, that he didn’t know he was breaking the legislation when he entered the Capitol advanced.
1000’s of Trump’s supporters stormed the Capitol, battling police and sending lawmakers operating for his or her lives after Trump in a fiery speech close to the White Home repeated his false claims that his election defeat was the results of widespread fraud.
A number of courts, state election officers and members of Trump’s personal administration have rejected that declare as unfaithful.
(Reporting by Jan Wolfe; Further reporting by Sarah N. Lynch; Enhancing by David Gregorio)
