Jury deliberation resumes in Oath Keepers 1/6 sedition case | WGN Radio 720

WASHINGTON (AP) — The jury to decide whether to convict Oath Keepers founder Stewart Rhodes and four associates of the seditious conspiracy will face a high-stakes trial stemming from the attack on the U.S. Capitol. We resumed hearings on Monday.

Rose and his co-defendants are accused of a weeks-long conspiracy to block the transfer of power from Republican Donald Trump to Democrat Joe Biden. They say the conspiracy came to a head when Rhodes supporters stormed the Capitol along with hundreds of other angry Trump supporters.

Hundreds convicted in attack on Capitol, dozens of police injured, lawmakers fleeing for life It is the first time to determine whether it constitutes a conspiracy.

A federal court jury in Washington, DC held its hearing last Tuesday before heading home for the long Thanksgiving weekend. Rhodes of Granbury, Texas is on trial with Thomas Caldwell of Berryville, Virginia. Jessica Watkins of Woodstock, Ohio. Kelly Meggs of Dunnellon, Florida. Kenneth Harrelson of Titusville, Florida.

They would be the first to be convicted of seditious conspiracy at trial since Islamist extremists were indicted in 1995 for plotting to bomb a New York City landmark. The maximum charge is 20 years in prison. The five defendants face multiple other charges.

Throughout the trial, which lasted nearly two months, defense attorneys argued that there was no conspiracy, such as the prosecutor’s apparent exaggeration. Defense attorneys argued that the Orth Keepers who entered the Capitol were caught in spontaneous outbursts of election-fueled anger rather than acting as part of a conspiracy.

Rhodes took the stand and told jurors he had no idea his supporters were going to storm the Capitol, and he was upset after learning that some were doing so. , believed it was ridiculous for the Oathkeepers to enter the Capitol, and argued that it was not their “mission”.

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For full coverage of the Capitol riots, please visit https://www.apnews.com/capitol-siege.

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