In Washington, a federal jury convicted an ex-Virginia police officer of storming the United States Capitol. He faced charges for his actions during the Capitol attack on 6th January 2021. Moreover, a former sergeant of the Rocky Mount police in Virginia, Thomas Robertson, faced criminal charges, including hindering law enforcement officers, tampering with evidence, entering, and remaining on restricted grounds.
A jury in Washington, D.C., found a former Virginia police officer, Thomas Robertson, guilty of all six charges he faced for illegal actions during the United States Capitol riot on 6th January 2021. Robertson’s jury trial was the second in Capitol riot cases, among many others. pic.twitter.com/OraA0xk8qx
— Live News Now (@LiveNewsNow6) April 12, 2022
His judicial trial was the second among hundreds of Capitol riot cases. Last month, the first trial ended with jurors convicting Guy Reffitt, a Texican man, of all five counts in his prosecution. On the other hand, Robertson did not testify at his judicial trial. Mark Rollins, the defense attorney, said Robertson would appeal the jury’s judgment. He disagrees with the decision, but he said that he respects the rule of law.
What are the charges on Robertson?
The jury charged Robertson with six counts; they are:
- Entering a Capitol restricted area while carrying a dangerous weapon
- Interfering with officers during a civil disorder
- Obstruction of Congress
- Disruptive or disorderly conduct inside the Capitol building
- Disruptive or disorderly conduct in a restricted area while carrying a dangerous weapon
- Obstruction
During the closing arguments of the trial, Risa Berkower, the Assistant United States Attorney, said that Robertson went to Washington and participated in a violent vigilante mob as he believed Democrats stole the election from then-Republican President Donald Trump. Robertson used the wooden stick to interfere with outstripped police before joining the mob pouring into the restricted area.
Source: Web
In addition, Rollins revealed that Robertson broke the law when he joined the riot in the Capitol riot. He also urged jurors to convict him of malfeasance offenses. Still, He advised them to clear Robertson of misdemeanor charges that he used the stick as a dangerous weapon and aimed to stop Congress from certifying the 2020 Electoral College vote.
Assistant United States Attorney Elizabeth Aloi told the judicial panel that they charged Robertson for his actions, not his political beliefs. Defense attorney Camille Wagner also said that his actions, not his words, should judge Robertson. Rocky Mount is around twenty-five miles south of Roanoke and has approximately five thousand residents.
Over seven hundred and seventy individuals were charged with federal crimes regarding the riot. More than two hundred and fifty of them pleaded guilty, most of them misdemeanors. Last month, District Judge Trevor McFadden convicted Couy Griffin, a New Mexico elected official, of criminally entering the restricted area but cleared him of engaging in disorderly conduct.
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