WASHINGTON, Jan 9 ― A West Virginia state lawmaker and a man pictured sitting at US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi's desk are among those facing federal charges stemming from the siege on the US Capitol by President Donald Trump's supporters, federal prosecutors said yesterday.
In a related development, Acting Attorney General Jeffrey Rosen announced the FBI would team up with Washington's police department to jointly investigate the death of Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick, who was injured while defending the US Capitol on Wednesday.
“Just because you've left the DC region, you can still expect a knock on the door if we find out you were part of the criminal activity at the Capitol,” Steven D'antuono, the FBI Washington Field Office's assistant director in charge, told reporters in a telephone news briefing.
The Justice Department yesterday released details on 13 defendants who were charged in the US District Court for the District of Columbia for their roles in connection with the Capitol riots.
They included Cleveland Meredith, who was charged with threatening Pelosi, and Richard Barnett, the Gravette, Arkansas, man who was photographed sitting at Pelosi's desk and is also known as “Bigo.”
“The shocking images of Mr. Barnett with his boots up on a desk in the speaker of the House’s office on Wednesday was repulsive,” Rosen said in a statement. “Those who are proven to have committed criminal acts during the storming of the Capitol will face justice.”
Among others facing charges were Lonnie Coffman of Falkville, Alabama ― whose truck parked near the Capitol and inspected by police contained 11 Molotov cocktails as well as firearms ― and Mark Leffingwell, who is accused of assaulting a police officer.
Ken Kohl, a prosecutor in the US Attorney's Office, told reporters in the news briefing that West Virginia Delegate Derrick Evans also faces criminal charges after he apparently “recorded himself storming the Capitol.”
John Bryan, an attorney for Evans, said in a statement that his client is “an independent activist and journalist, who has long exercised his constitutional rights to engage in peaceful protest, activism and amateur journalism.”
“He was exercising his First Amendment rights to peacefully protest and film a historic and dynamic event. He engaged in no violence, no rioting, no destruction of property, and no illegal behaviour,” Bryan added.
In addition to the 13 people facing criminal charges in US District Court, another 40 people were facing lesser charges in the District of Columbia Superior Court, a local venue.
Many of those individuals were arraigned on Thursday and released, with an order from the judge not to return to Washington unless it is for court appearances or meetings with their attorneys.
D'antuono yesterday declined to characterise the probe of Sicknick's death as a homicide investigation during the briefing, saying the circumstances were still being reviewed.
“We're not going to go into it at this point because it's an active investigation,” he said.
Capitol Police confirmed late on Thursday evening that Sicknick had died after suffering injuries while on duty at the US Capitol during the riot.
After being injured by protesters, the officer returned to his office where he collapsed. He died at a hospital.
Capitol Police have said the Washington police's homicide unit was probing the death.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and fellow officers of US Capitol Police Officer Brian D. Sicknick, who succumbed last night to the injuries he suffered defending the US Capitol, against the violent mob who stormed it on January 6th,” Rosen said in a statement.
Pelosi yesterday ordered flags at the Capitol lowered to half-staff in honour of Sicknick. ― Reuters
