Washington – After lower than three hours of deliberations, a Washington, D.C., jury discovered Dustin Thompson responsible of a number of prices stemming from his participation within the January 6, 2021, Capitol assault, together with obstructing Congress' certification of the Electoral Faculty votes and stealing liquor and a coat rack from the Capitol constructing.
He seemingly faces a most sentence of 20 years in jail.
The Ohio man was first charged within the weeks following the Capitol breach with co-defendant, Robert Lyon. Investigators say they drove collectively to the Washington space forward of the assault and later took an Uber to former President Trump's "Save America" rally within the coronary heart of the town.
Thompson allegedly donned a Trump 2020 winter hat and a bulletproof vest, as he and Lyon marched in the direction of the Capitol, becoming a member of the mob as they stormed the constructing. Thompson was then accused of stealing a coat rack and a bottle of bourbon. Following the riot, courtroom paperwork alleged U.S. Capitol Law enforcement officials stopped the pair. Thompson fled the scene, however Lyon "was cooperative and didn't try and flee," charging paperwork mentioned.
Final month, Lyon pleaded responsible to 2 misdemeanor counts on a superseding indictment; every rely carries a most sentence of 1 12 months in jail. He has not but been sentenced.
However Thompson selected a special authorized technique, preventing the counts that in the end introduced him earlier than a jury. He did not deny he had taken half within the breach and as an alternative argued that on the time, he believed that Trump's speech close to the White Home approved his actions.
Throughout that rally, Trump used incendiary language like "battle like hell" and informed the gang he would be part of them in marching to the Capitol to contest the 2020 election outcomes.
"It's onerous to think about a extra placing instance than the President of the US instantly instructing a person to interact within the exact conduct for which he's later indicted," Thompson's authorized staff argued in pretrial briefs. His attorneys even requested the courtroom's permission to name the previous president and his allies as witnesses within the trial.
"Mr. Trump and his conspirators engaged in a concerted effort to deceive the general public, together with Defendant, into believing that American democracy was at stake if Congress was permitted to certify the election outcomes," they argued.
However Decide Reggie Walton, who oversaw the jury trial, denied Thompson's request that Trump testify, ruling it will be "inconceivable" that Trump or his allies who spoke on the ellipse on Jan. 6 would admit to directing the mob to commit acts of violence.
"Doing so" the choose wrote final month, "may end in prison prices being lodged towards them."
In lieu of Trump's testimony, nonetheless, Thompson's protection lawyer, Shamuel Shamansky performed for the jury the previous president's total speech from that day, later calling the riot "shameless" and evaluating Trump to a "gangster."
"I'll ask you in your coronary heart and in your head to do the appropriate factor," he mentioned Thursday, imploring the jury to imagine that his consumer actually thought he was appearing on Trump's orders.
Thompson additionally testified in his personal protection.
However prosecutors efficiently satisfied the jury to separate the phrases of the previous president from Thompson's alleged crimes.
The protection, prosecutors mentioned, "desires you to suppose that it's important to select between President Trump and his consumer, Mr. Thompson…which you could over discover that one among them dedicated a criminal offense that day."
"Girls and gents, you do not have to decide on as a result of this isn't President Trump's prison trial."
After the jury convicted Thompson on all six counts, Walton ordered Thompson jailed pending a July sentencing date.
"His conduct for my part was reprehensible," the choose mentioned Thursday, "He is acquired to do time."
Thompson was then stripped of his tie, belt, telephone, pockets, and go well with jacket earlier than being handcuffed from behind and introduced out of the courtroom into federal custody.
He's the third January 6 defendant to be convicted by a jury on all counts. Two different defendants, Couy Griffin and Matthew Martin, had been partially and totally acquitted of their misdemeanor prices after choosing a bench trial earlier than a choose as an alternative of dealing with a jury.
Thompson might be sentenced on July 20.