Key takeaways:
- The Justice Department has filed court papers to appeal the 18-year prison sentence handed down to Stewart Rhodes, the founder of the far-right Oath Keepers, in the Jan. 6, 2021, assault on the U.S. Capitol.
- Rhodes’ sentence was the longest handed down so far in over 1,000 Capitol riot cases.
- The Justice Department is appealing the sentence in an effort to ensure that those responsible for the attack on the U.S. Capitol are held accountable for their actions.
The Justice Department has filed court papers to appeal the 18-year prison sentence handed down to Stewart Rhodes, the founder of the far-right Oath Keepers, in the Jan. 6, 2021, assault on the U.S. Capitol. The sentence was less than the 25 years the Justice Department had asked for in one of the most serious cases to go to trial in the Capitol riot and below the range recommended under federal guidelines.
In the same case, James Beeks, a Florida resident who was playing Judas in the traveling production of the musical when he was arrested, was cleared of conspiracy to obstruct Congress’ certification of the 2020 election and civil disorder after a trial in federal court.
Rhodes was found guilty of seditious conspiracy and other convictions, and his 18-year sentence was the longest handed down so far in over 1,000 Capitol riot cases. The Justice Department is appealing the sentence because it was not as long as what prosecutors had sought.
The U.S. Capitol attack on Jan. 6, 2021, was one of the most serious cases to go to trial in the Capitol riot. The Justice Department has filed court papers to appeal the 18-year sentence handed down to Stewart Rhodes, the founder of the far-right Oath Keepers, because it was less than the 25 years the Justice Department had asked for.
Rhodes’ sentence was the longest handed down so far in over 1,000 Capitol riot cases. James Beeks, a Florida resident who was playing Judas in the traveling production of the musical when he was arrested, was cleared of conspiracy to obstruct Congress’ certification of the 2020 election and civil disorder after a trial in federal court.
The Justice Department is appealing the sentence in an effort to ensure that those responsible for the attack on the U.S. Capitol are held accountable for their actions. The outcome of the appeal will be closely watched as it could set a precedent for future cases related to the Capitol riot.
Be First to Comment