Today, infamous January 6th Capitol riot defendant Dustin Thompson was officially convicted on all charges related to the deadly attack after a jury brutally rejected his attempted defense to blame former President Donald Trump for inciting his violent actions on that fateful day. Thompson is the same Capitol riot defendant that notoriously concocted a list of what he felt were all-star witnesses that he wanted to haul in to testify in his trial. This list included highly notable names such as attorney Rudy Giuliani, podcaster Steve Bannon, and even the former President himself, Donald J. Trump.
But despite the jury rejecting his attempt to defend his actions by blaming everyone but himself, the judge on the case was sure to note, as the dust settled around the conviction in the courtroom today, that ex-president Donald Trump is certainly not a blameless individual in the infamous, fatal Capitol insurrection — but rather, Dustin Thompson is just fully responsible for his own actions at the end of the day, regardless.
Politico’s Kyle Cheney reported today, “Jan. 6 defendant Dustin Thompson GUILTY on all charges, including felony obstruction of Congress.”
Jan. 6 defendant Dustin Thompson GUILTY on all charges. including felony obstruction of Congress.
More on the case:https://t.co/uolGhCGILU
— Kyle Cheney (@kyledcheney) April 14, 2022
He went on to note that Judge Reggie Walton went “on a tear about Jan. 6 and Trump” directly after the verdict was delivered.
WOW: After the verdict, Judge Walton goes on a tear about Jan. 6 and Trump:
“I think our democracy is in trouble because unfortunately we have charlatans like our former president who doen’st in my view really care about democracy but only about power.”
— Kyle Cheney (@kyledcheney) April 14, 2022
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“I think our democracy is in trouble because unfortunately we have charlatans like our former president who doesn’t in my view really care about democracy but only about power,” Judge Walton reportedly said.
Ultimately, the judge ruled that Thompson was to be detained until his sentencing.
“If somebody is weak-minded enough to buy in on what was being said and then come all the way from Ohio … and even doing it gleefully, I just have my real concerns about him,” Walton said before going on to add, just before he ordered that the defendant be held, “The inevitable reality is that whether he does time now or does time later, he’s got to do time.”
Walton now lighting into the defendant, suggesting he’s a potential flight risk.
“If somebody is weak-minded enough to buy in on what was being said and then come all the way from Ohio … and even doing it gleefully, I just have my real concerns about him.”
— Kyle Cheney (@kyledcheney) April 14, 2022
The Politico reporter went on to note that Thompson is the third Capitol rioter to be convicted in a trial that went before a jury.
“Prosecutors are now three for three in Jan. 6 jury trials, winning convictions on every charge,” Cheney wrote. “They’ve had less success in two bench trials before Judge McFadden, who has been an outlier in these cases.”
Prosecutors are now three for three in Jan. 6 jury trials, winning convictions on every charge.
They’ve had less success in two bench trials before Judge McFadden, who has been an outlier in these cases. https://t.co/uolGhCGILU
— Kyle Cheney (@kyledcheney) April 14, 2022
Thompson’s attorney Sam Shamansky spoke with MSNBC yesterday and said that Donald Trump “cajoled, groomed, and directed” his supporters who went on to attack and siege the US Capitol building on January 6th, 2020.
You can watch the clip of those remarks here:
Featured image via Political Tribune gallery
