{"id":24372,"date":"2023-01-10T07:15:17","date_gmt":"2023-01-10T12:15:17","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/worldjusticenews.com\/news\/?p=24372"},"modified":"2023-01-10T07:15:17","modified_gmt":"2023-01-10T12:15:17","slug":"proud-boys-face-conspiracy-trial-for-capitol-riot","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/worldjusticenews.com\/news\/2023\/01\/10\/proud-boys-face-conspiracy-trial-for-capitol-riot\/","title":{"rendered":"Proud Boys face conspiracy trial for Capitol riot"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"ssrcss-11r1m41-RichTextComponentWrapper ep2nwvo0\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-7uxr49-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1\">\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph eq5iqo00\"><b class=\"ssrcss-hmf8ql-BoldText e5tfeyi3\">Five members of the far-right Proud Boys group will go on trial this week charged with seditious conspiracy in the latest case involving alleged ringleaders of the 6 January 2021 Capitol riot.<\/b><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ssrcss-11r1m41-RichTextComponentWrapper ep2nwvo0\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-7uxr49-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1\">\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph eq5iqo00\">The defendants include Proud Boys national leader at the time, Henry &#8220;Enrique&#8221; Tarrio.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ssrcss-11r1m41-RichTextComponentWrapper ep2nwvo0\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-7uxr49-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1\">\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph eq5iqo00\">In addition to seditious conspiracy, the five have been charged with eight other crimes including obstructing law enforcement and destruction of government property.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ssrcss-11r1m41-RichTextComponentWrapper ep2nwvo0\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-7uxr49-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1\">\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph eq5iqo00\">If convicted, the Proud Boys will be looking at significant time in prison. The seditious conspiracy charge alone carries a sentence of up to 20 years.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ssrcss-dm4ypg-ComponentWrapper-HeadlineComponentWrapper egtrm1f0\" data-component=\"subheadline-block\">\n<h2 id=\"Who-is-on-trial-and-why\" class=\"ssrcss-y2fd7s-StyledHeading e1fj1fc10\" tabindex=\"-1\"><span role=\"text\">Who is on trial and why?<\/span><\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ssrcss-11r1m41-RichTextComponentWrapper ep2nwvo0\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-7uxr49-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1\">\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph eq5iqo00\">Alongside Mr Tarrio, who was at the violent Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, in 2017 and became the group&#8217;s leader the following year, the Proud Boys on trial are:<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ssrcss-11r1m41-RichTextComponentWrapper ep2nwvo0\" data-component=\"unordered-list-block\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-7uxr49-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-1o5f7ft-BulletListContainer e5tfeyi0\">\n<ul role=\"list\">\n<li>Ethan Nordean, 31, of Washington state, who goes by the alias &#8220;Rufio Panman&#8221;. Mr Nordean was active in street protests and brawls with anti-fascist activists in the Pacific Northwest. In video from 6 January, he&#8217;s seen leading members of the group around the Capitol<\/li>\n<li>Joe Biggs, 38, of Florida. Mr Biggs is a US Army veteran and former broadcaster for Alex Jones&#8217;s Infowars. He was pictured next to Mr Nordean throughout the riot<\/li>\n<li>Zachary Rehl, 37, a former US Marine and the leader of the Philadelphia branch of the Proud Boys<\/li>\n<li>Dominic Pezzola, 44, of Rochester in New York state. Prosecutors say Mr Pezzola, also a former US Marine, was one of the first people to reach one of the entrances to the Capitol, where he took a riot shield off a police officer and smashed a window<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div class=\"ssrcss-11r1m41-RichTextComponentWrapper ep2nwvo0\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-7uxr49-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1\">\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph eq5iqo00\">Prosecutors say Proud Boys repeatedly posted a number of violent threats online. For instance, in November 2020, Mr Tarrio wrote on a post by Joe Biden: &#8220;YOU need to remember the American people are at war with YOU. No Trump\u2026No peace. No quarter.&#8221;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ssrcss-11r1m41-RichTextComponentWrapper ep2nwvo0\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-7uxr49-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1\">\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph eq5iqo00\">Others posted about civil war, firing squads and &#8220;traitors&#8221;.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ssrcss-11r1m41-RichTextComponentWrapper ep2nwvo0\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-7uxr49-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1\">\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph eq5iqo00\">In late December 2020, the Proud Boys leaders created a new chapter which they referred to as the &#8220;Ministry of Self Defense&#8221;. Government prosecutors say the group then began planning for violence in earnest.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ssrcss-11r1m41-RichTextComponentWrapper ep2nwvo0\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-7uxr49-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1\">\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph eq5iqo00\">Proud Boys gathered near the Washington Monument on the morning of the riot before making their way to the Capitol. More than 100 members of the group were present that day, and dozens have subsequently been arrested.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ssrcss-11r1m41-RichTextComponentWrapper ep2nwvo0\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-7uxr49-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1\">\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph eq5iqo00\">Lawyers for the defendants are expected to argue that the group was poorly organised and that there was no preconceived plan to storm the building. They&#8217;ve also noted in a pre-trial motion that Mr Tarrio was in touch with police before 6 January and informed law enforcement of the group&#8217;s plans for the day.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ssrcss-11r1m41-RichTextComponentWrapper ep2nwvo0\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-7uxr49-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1\">\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph eq5iqo00\">Jury selection for the trial began before Christmas but has been relatively slow as many potential jurors have expressed negative views of the group. Opening statements in the trial are set to begin later this week.<\/p>\n<div class=\"ssrcss-dm4ypg-ComponentWrapper-HeadlineComponentWrapper egtrm1f0\" data-component=\"subheadline-block\">\n<h2 id=\"Who-are-Proud-Boys\" class=\"ssrcss-y2fd7s-StyledHeading e1fj1fc10\" tabindex=\"-1\"><span role=\"text\">Who are Proud Boys?<\/span><\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ssrcss-11r1m41-RichTextComponentWrapper ep2nwvo0\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-7uxr49-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1\">\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph eq5iqo00\">The Proud Boys were founded in New York City in 2016 by Gavin McInnes, a co-founder of Vice who left the media company to embark on a career as a right-wing commentator and podcaster.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ssrcss-11r1m41-RichTextComponentWrapper ep2nwvo0\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-7uxr49-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1\">\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph eq5iqo00\">They describe themselves as an all-male drinking club with bizarre initiation rituals, or a &#8220;pro-Western fraternal organisation&#8221;.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ssrcss-11r1m41-RichTextComponentWrapper ep2nwvo0\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-7uxr49-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1\">\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph eq5iqo00\">But they are better known for their frequent brawls with left-wing anti-fascist activists in cities across the US.<\/p>\n<p><a class=\"ssrcss-k17ofw-InlineLink e1no5rhv0\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=SWxh6rDYjQM\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">In a 2019 BBC documentary<\/a>, Proud Boys in Portland, Oregon, boasted about arrests and street fighting.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ssrcss-11r1m41-RichTextComponentWrapper ep2nwvo0\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-7uxr49-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1\">\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph eq5iqo00\">They later came to widespread fame after a presidential debate in September 2020. During a discussion about extremism, Joe Biden mentioned the organisation. Donald Trump responded by saying: &#8220;Proud Boys, stand back and stand by.&#8221;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ssrcss-11r1m41-RichTextComponentWrapper ep2nwvo0\" data-component=\"unordered-list-block\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-7uxr49-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-1o5f7ft-BulletListContainer e5tfeyi0\">\n<ul role=\"list\">\n<li><a class=\"ssrcss-k17ofw-InlineLink e1no5rhv0\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.co.uk\/news\/election-us-2020-54352635\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Who are Proud Boys and antifa?<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a class=\"ssrcss-k17ofw-InlineLink e1no5rhv0\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.co.uk\/news\/blogs-trending-47332054\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">What happened when a Proud Boy met an antifa activist?<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ssrcss-11r1m41-RichTextComponentWrapper ep2nwvo0\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-7uxr49-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1\">\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph eq5iqo00\">While they have a number of non-white members and Mr Tarrio himself has Afro-Cuban heritage, they are designated a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center, which notes that their &#8220;actions belie their disavowals of bigotry&#8221; and that members &#8220;regularly spout white nationalist memes and maintain affiliations with known extremists&#8221;.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ssrcss-dm4ypg-ComponentWrapper-HeadlineComponentWrapper egtrm1f0\" data-component=\"subheadline-block\">\n<h2 id=\"How-is-this-trial-different-from-the-Oath-Keepers-case\" class=\"ssrcss-y2fd7s-StyledHeading e1fj1fc10\" tabindex=\"-1\"><span role=\"text\">How is this trial different from the Oath Keepers case?<\/span><\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ssrcss-11r1m41-RichTextComponentWrapper ep2nwvo0\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-7uxr49-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1\">\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph eq5iqo00\">In November last year the leader of the Oath Keepers militia, Stewart Rhodes, and head of the group&#8217;s Florida chapter, Kelly Meggs, were convicted of seditious conspiracy &#8211; the most serious charges levelled against the more than 900 people who have been arrested in connection with the Capitol attack.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ssrcss-11r1m41-RichTextComponentWrapper ep2nwvo0\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-7uxr49-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1\">\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph eq5iqo00\">Unlike his co-defendants, Mr Tarrio was not in Washington during the riot. He faced charges after burning a Black Lives Matter banner that was stolen from a Washington church and was also charged with violating weapons laws.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ssrcss-11r1m41-RichTextComponentWrapper ep2nwvo0\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-7uxr49-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1\">\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph eq5iqo00\">He was arrested on 4 January 2021, and when he was bailed he was ordered by the judge to leave Washington and ended up watching events from a hotel room in nearby Baltimore.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ssrcss-11r1m41-RichTextComponentWrapper ep2nwvo0\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-7uxr49-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1\">\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph eq5iqo00\">Although both Oath Keepers and Proud Boys were staunch supporters of Donald Trump, documents released by a congressional committee investigating the riot showed\u00a0<a class=\"ssrcss-k17ofw-InlineLink e1no5rhv0\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/news\/world-us-canada-64071724\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">a sharp rift between the two groups over allegations of racism<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ssrcss-11r1m41-RichTextComponentWrapper ep2nwvo0\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-7uxr49-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1\">\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph eq5iqo00\">Oath Keepers agreed to provide security for an event organised by Proud Boys in Portland &#8211; one of the hotbeds of the group&#8217;s activities &#8211; in 2019. But Rhodes pulled his group out of the event when he found out about an invited speaker who allegedly held white nationalist views.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ssrcss-11r1m41-RichTextComponentWrapper ep2nwvo0\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-7uxr49-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1\">\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph eq5iqo00\">Mr Tarrio was angry at the move, and he told congressional investigators: &#8220;I didn&#8217;t like Stewart Rhodes. I still don&#8217;t like Stewart Rhodes.&#8221;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ssrcss-11r1m41-RichTextComponentWrapper ep2nwvo0\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-7uxr49-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1\">\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph eq5iqo00\">While the Oath Keepers have mostly stopped functioning since the Capitol riot, Proud Boys have continued to remain active, including holding protests at drag shows and supporting anti-abortion activists.<\/p>\n<div class=\"ssrcss-dm4ypg-ComponentWrapper-HeadlineComponentWrapper egtrm1f0\" data-component=\"subheadline-block\">\n<h2 id=\"What-is-seditious-conspiracy\" class=\"ssrcss-y2fd7s-StyledHeading e1fj1fc10\" tabindex=\"-1\"><span role=\"text\">What is seditious conspiracy?<\/span><\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ssrcss-11r1m41-RichTextComponentWrapper ep2nwvo0\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-7uxr49-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1\">\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph eq5iqo00\">Under US law,\u00a0<a class=\"ssrcss-k17ofw-InlineLink e1no5rhv0\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/news\/world-us-canada-63814160\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">seditious conspiracy is defined<\/a>\u00a0as a plot to overthrow the government or use force &#8220;to prevent, hinder, or delay the execution of any law of the United States&#8221;.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ssrcss-11r1m41-RichTextComponentWrapper ep2nwvo0\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-7uxr49-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1\">\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph eq5iqo00\">It is a rarely used law that dates from the Civil War, and the Oath Keepers case was the first successful prosecution for seditious conspiracy since 1995. Three other members of that militia were acquitted of the charge during last year&#8217;s trial.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ssrcss-11r1m41-RichTextComponentWrapper ep2nwvo0\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-7uxr49-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1\">\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph eq5iqo00\">Seditious conspiracy is less serious than treason, which is the only crime specifically spelled out in the US Constitution and requires a high standard of proof &#8211; the testimony of at least two witnesses in open court or a confession. Treason can also be punishable by the death penalty.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ssrcss-11r1m41-RichTextComponentWrapper ep2nwvo0\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-7uxr49-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1\">\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph eq5iqo00\">Two Proud Boys, Charles Donohoe and Jeremy Bertino, have already pleaded guilty to seditious conspiracy and may be called as witnesses at the trial.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ssrcss-11r1m41-RichTextComponentWrapper ep2nwvo0\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-7uxr49-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1\">\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph eq5iqo00\">Voluminous evidence in the form of messages, videos and social media posts, along with a long list of potential witnesses, means that the trial is likely to last at least six weeks.<\/p>\n<p>Source: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.co.uk\/news\/world-us-canada-64218531\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">bbc.co.uk<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<div class=\"mh-excerpt\">Five members of the far-right Proud Boys group will go on trial this week charged with seditious conspiracy in the latest case involving alleged ringleaders of the 6 January 2021 Capitol riot. The defendants include <a class=\"mh-excerpt-more\" href=\"https:\/\/worldjusticenews.com\/news\/2023\/01\/10\/proud-boys-face-conspiracy-trial-for-capitol-riot\/\" title=\"Proud Boys face conspiracy trial for Capitol riot\">[&#8230;]<\/a><\/div>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":18135,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"pmpro_default_level":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[2,3],"tags":[8251,6504,8984,7547],"class_list":{"0":"post-24372","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-news","8":"category-usa","9":"tag-oath-keepers","10":"tag-proud-boys","11":"tag-seditious-conspiracy","12":"tag-us-capitol-riots","13":"pmpro-has-access"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/worldjusticenews.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24372","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/worldjusticenews.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/worldjusticenews.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worldjusticenews.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worldjusticenews.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=24372"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/worldjusticenews.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24372\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":24374,"href":"https:\/\/worldjusticenews.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24372\/revisions\/24374"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worldjusticenews.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/18135"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/worldjusticenews.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=24372"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worldjusticenews.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=24372"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worldjusticenews.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=24372"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}