AFP
NOS Nieuws•gisteren, 22:58
In the US, a man has been sentenced to seven years and three months in prison for his role in the storming of the Capitol. Taylor James Johnatakis directed the crowd with a megaphone at the time. According to the court, he had a leading role in the attack on officers.
Hundreds of rioters and officers were injured during the storming of the US House of Representatives in 2021. At least five people died during or shortly after the storm. A number of officers involved committed suicide.
‘He was a leader’
Johnatakis’ actions were captured on camera. Videos show and hear him shouting commands to supporters to overpower officers. “In a wild mob you have followers and leaders. Johnatakis was a leader and knew very well what he was doing that day,” the judge in Washington DC said.
The 40-year-old defended himself in court. Johnatakis hinted that he does not recognize the government’s authority. He also asked the judge questions such as: “Does it say in my file that I have expressed remorse for my sins?” But the judge disagreed: “I’m not answering questions here.”
More than three years after the storming, more than 800 people have been convicted. For their part in the uprising, they received prison sentences ranging from a few days to 22 years.
View a summary of the events of January 6, 2021 here:
Looking back at the Capitol riots
The Washington crowd had been incited by President Trump and his team, who falsely claimed widespread voter fraud. Despite various lawsuits and investigations, evidence of massive fraud in the presidential elections has never been found.
Legal wrangling
The Court of Appeals recently ruled that Trump may be prosecuted for his role in the Capitol storming. But the legal wrangling is not over yet over whether he, as then president, is immune from trial.
The 77-year-old Republican has asked the Supreme Court to temporarily guarantee his immunity. The trial of the Capitol storming and Trump’s efforts to overturn the election results was scheduled to begin in March but has been postponed for now. The next presidential elections will be held in November, which will almost certainly be between Trump and Biden.
2024-04-03 20:58:44
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