Oath Keepers founder Stuart Rhodes and another member of the far-right militia became the first participants in the attack on the Capitol to be convicted of “sedition” on Tuesday (November 29). After a two-month trial and three days of deliberations in federal court in Washington, twelve jurors, on the other hand, rejected the extremely rare charge, which carried a 20-year sentence for three other Oath Keepers. All five were found guilty of obstructing the official process. They will be sentenced in the spring of 2023.
On January 6, 2021, they, along with a thousand other supporters of Donald Trump, attacked the Congress building, the temple of American democracy, when elected officials confirmed the victory of Democrat Joe Biden in the presidential election. After this coup that shocked the world, more than 870 people were arrested, a hundred were sentenced to prison, including those who used violence against the police. However, so far no one has been found guilty of “rebellion”.
“Like a general on the battlefield”
The charge, which stems from a law passed after the Civil War to suppress the last rebels in the South, alleges planning to use force to oppose the government. It differs from rebellion, which is more spontaneous in nature. During the trial, prosecutors showed that the Oath Keepers bought weapons and military equipment and stored them in a hotel near Washington. On D-Day, armed with helmets and battle dress, they entered the Capitol in battle formation.
Stewart Rhodes remained outside, but according to prosecutors, he directed his troops over the radio. “Like a general on the battlefield”. On the witness stand, this tribune, recognizable by his black eye patch, denied it “to plan” this attack and claimed that “assignment” The Oath Keepers were supposed to provide security for Donald Trump’s impeachment rally “Election Fraud” (whose existence has never been confirmed).
Source: Le Figaro
I am David Wyatt, a professional writer and journalist for Buna Times. I specialize in the world section of news coverage, where I bring to light stories and issues that affect us globally. As a graduate of Journalism, I have always had the passion to spread knowledge through writing.