Trump-appointed judge makes New Mexico man the first acquitted at trial on Capitol riot charges

McFadden mentioned it was reasonable for Martin to believe that outnumbered police officers permitted him and some others to enter the Capitol by way of the Rotunda doorways on Jan. 6, 2021. The judge also said Martin’s steps were “about as small and non-serious” as any one who was at the Capitol that day.

Martin is the 3rd Capitol riot defendant whose circumstance has been settled by a demo. He is the initially of the 3 to be acquitted of all rates that he confronted. The initial two Capitol riot trials ended with convictions, despite the fact that McFadden acquitted 1 of people defendants of a disorderly perform charge immediately after a bench demo previous thirty day period.

In the similar courthouse where by Martin was acquitted, a fourth trial ongoing on Wednesday for a previous Virginia law enforcement officer who is charged with storming the Capitol with a further off-responsibility officer. Jurors listened to testimony from the fellow officer, who pleaded guilty to a riot-similar cost and agreed to be a witness for prosecutors.

Martin, whose bench demo began Tuesday, testified that a police officer waved him into the making immediately after the riot erupted. A prosecutor dismissed that testimony as “nonsense.”

The judge, nonetheless, claimed online video demonstrates two law enforcement officers standing in close proximity to the Rotunda doors and allowing people today to enter as Martin approached. One of the officers appeared to lean back again before Martin placed a hand on the officer’s shoulder as a doable signal of gratitude, the judge reported.

McFadden described Martin’s testimony as “largely credible.” The choose mentioned it was not unreasonable for him to think that officers allowed him to enter the Capitol, even nevertheless alarms had been blaring and broken glass was strewn about the ground.

Martin was billed with four misdemeanor counts: coming into and remaining in a restricted creating, disorderly and disruptive conduct in a limited setting up, violent entry and disorderly conduct in a Capitol making and parading, demonstrating or picketing in a Capitol constructing.

The decide mentioned Martin appeared to be a “silent observer of the actions of others.”

McFadden didn’t locate any proof that Martin supposed to disrupt Congress from certifying President Joe Biden’s electoral victory.

Dozens of Capitol riot defendants have pleaded guilty and been sentenced, but Martin is the first to testify at a trial. His acquittal could embolden many others to gamble on a bench demo, even though McFadden so much is the only decide to preside above a person and make a decision a circumstance. (McFadden, whilst a Trump appointee, in December dismissed a lawsuit by the former president trying to get to block the release to Congress of his tax information.)

Martin reported he “went with the flow” as he approached the Capitol and testified that he noticed a police officer wave him into the developing. Martin remained inside of the Capitol for about 10 minutes after moving into the creating through the Rotunda doorways, in accordance to prosecutors.

Martin said he “enjoyed the day” of the riot. “It was a magical working day in many methods,” he testified on Tuesday prior to introducing, “I know some terrible factors took place.”

“You fully grasp that law enforcement officers died?” Justice Division prosecutor Michael Romano asked Martin.

At minimum nine people today died in the riot or its aftermath. 1 officer died just after he collapsed hrs following remaining sprayed with bear spray and other officers who experimented with to quell the riot died by suicide in the months following the attack.

Prosecutors stated Martin, an engineer, labored for a govt contractor at the Nationwide Laboratory in Los Alamos, N.M., and held a top rated-top secret protection clearance on Jan. 6. Martin reported he essentially labored at a distinctive facility in Los Alamos.

Defense legal professional Dan Cron stated Martin saw one more particular person shake a police officer’s hand soon after getting into the Capitol. Martin positioned his hand on an officer’s shoulder “as a gesture of many thanks and of fantastic will,” Cron stated.

Romano, the Justice Office prosecutor, mentioned Martin joined the mob in crowding police officers who were being attempting to disperse the crowd. The prosecutor said Martin realized that he wasn’t authorized to be in the Capitol.

“The strategy that he assumed he had authorization to do that is nonsense,” Romano explained.

Other riot defendants have claimed police waved them in or explained they could enter.

McFadden presided over a bench demo past month for Cuoy Griffin, a county official in New Mexico. The judge on March 22 convicted Griffin of illegally coming into restricted U.S. Capitol grounds but acquitted him of participating in disorderly perform.

On March 8, a jury made the decision the to start with Capitol riot demo by convicting a Texas guy, Dude Reffitt, of storming the Capitol with a holstered handgun.

Right after Martin’s acquittal Wednesday, a jury in a distinct courtroom read a second day of testimony for the trial of previous Rocky Mount, Va., law enforcement officer Thomas Robertson. The town fired Robertson and yet another officer, Jacob Fracker, who joined him at the Capitol on Jan. 6.

Fracker was scheduled to be tried using along with Robertson ahead of he pleaded guilty past thirty day period to a conspiracy cost and agreed to testify in opposition to somebody who was his mentor and a father figure.

“I completely detest this,” Fracker stated. “I’ve generally been on the other side of things — the fantastic guys’ side, so to discuss.”

Fracker testified that he and Robertson the two thought the 2020 presidential election experienced been stolen from Trump. Fracker explained they equally wore gas masks as they joined a mob in storming the Capitol.

Questioned why he went to the Capitol that day, Fracker said he wanted to play a aspect in overturning the election success. “I felt like we experienced maybe been listened to by whoever it was we needed to be heard by,” Fracker mentioned.

He said he has grown ashamed of his actions on Jan. 6. “That’s not the person I am,” he said. “I was not lifted like that.”

Fracker is because of to be cross-examined by a single of Robertson’s lawyers on Thursday.
Prosecutors program to contact two a lot more witnesses, a police officer and FBI agent. A defense lawyer explained Robertson may perhaps testify. Jurors could listen to attorneys’ closing arguments as soon as Friday.

Additional than 770 folks have been charged with riot-relevant federal crimes. More than 240 of them have pleaded guilty, largely to misdemeanors, and about 140 of them have been sentenced.

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