Thursday, April 7, 2022

Insurrectionist acquitted

A federal judge on Wednesday acquitted a New Mexico man of misdemeanor charges that he illegally entered the U.S. Capitol and engaged in disorderly conduct after he walked into the building during last year's riot.

U.S. District Judge Trevor McFadden issued the verdict from the bench after hearing testimony without a jury in the case against Matthew Martin. McFadden, who was nominated by former President Donald Trump, acquitted Martin of all four counts for which he was charged.

McFadden said it was reasonable for Martin to believe that outnumbered police officers allowed him and others to enter the Capitol through the Rotunda doors on Jan. 6, 2021. The judge also said Martin's actions were "about as minimal and non-serious" as anyone who was at the Capitol that day.

Martin is the third Capitol riot defendant whose case has been resolved by a trial. He is the first of the three to be acquitted of all charges that he faced.

  NPR
While I can appreciate that all of those things may be true, there is another thing that's true that should require some kind of conviction. And that is the reason he went there. He went into the capitol in an attempt to stop the peaceful transfer of power to the legitimate winner of the presidency. Intent counts for something in all criminal trials, as it should.

...but hey, do what you want...you will anyway.

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