Stewart Rhodes, founding father of Oath Keepers

Aaron C. Davis/The Washington Post through Getty Images

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Aaron C. Davis/The Washington Post through Getty Images

Stewart Rhodes, founding father of Oath Keepers

Aaron C. Davis/The Washington Post through Getty Images

Stewart Rhodes, the founding father of the far-right Oath Keepers, has been discovered responsible of seditious conspiracy and different offenses in reference to the Jan. 6 assault on the U.S. Capitol.

A federal jury in Washington, D.C., additionally convicted Rhodes of obstructing an official continuing and tampering with paperwork. He was acquitted of two different conspiracy counts.

Rhodes didn’t enter the Capitol through the riot, however as a substitute stood exterior like a “battlefield general” surveying his troops, a prosecutor mentioned.

All 5 defendants on trial on this case have been charged with seditious conspiracy however just one along with Rhodes, Kelly Meggs, was discovered responsible. The three different defendants — Jessica Watkins, Kenneth Harrelson and Thomas Caldwell — have been acquitted on that central cost.

But all the defendants have been discovered responsible of obstructing an official continuing in addition to a mixture of different expenses.

Jurors returned their verdict after almost three full days of deliberations.

As the foreperson learn the decision aloud, Rhodes jerked his head down and scribbled a notice to himself. Watkins nodded vigorously when she was discovered not responsible of seditious conspiracy and Caldwell closed his eyes a number of occasions.

U.S. Capitol Police Officer Harry Dunn, who testified through the trial, sat within the entrance row for the jury verdict. He seemed emotional and let loose an extended sigh after the jury filed out of the courtroom.

The prosecution of the Oath Keepers chief and his co-defendants is probably the most consequential Jan. 6 case but to have gone to trial.

Prosecutors accused the 5 of plotting to stop, by any means needed together with drive, the peaceable switch of presidential energy to Joe Biden.

Rhodes and the opposite Oath Keepers have been the primary Jan. 6 defendants to go to trial on seditious conspiracy expenses. Two extra seditious conspiracy trials — one involving extra Oath Keepers and the opposite a gaggle of Proud Boys — are set to begin within the coming weeks.

Prosecution’s case

In this trial, the government called more than two dozen witnesses, together with FBI brokers, U.S. Capitol Police officers and two Oath Keepers who stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6 and pleaded responsible to conspiracy.

But the muse of the federal government’s case was the a whole bunch of textual content messages, Facebook communications in addition to audio and video recordings that allowed jurors to see and listen to what the defendants have been saying and considering within the months main as much as Jan. 6, on the day itself and afterward.

In lots of these communications, Rhodes and his co-defendants spoke in incendiary, generally even apocalyptic, phrases about violence, civil struggle and the necessity to combat to maintain Trump in energy.

In one message prosecutors cited of their closing argument, Rhodes informed his followers days after the 2020 presidential election: “We are not getting through this without a civil war. Prepare your mind, body and spirit.”

In the weeks that adopted, the defendants started taking steps to coordinate their actions. Rhodes, in the meantime, saved urging his followers to withstand a possible Biden presidency, which he mentioned can be an illegitimate puppet regime of Communist China.

Once Trump declared a rally on Jan. 6, in keeping with prosecutors, the defendants targeted their efforts on that date.

Text messages confirmed them planning their journey to Washington, D.C., and discussing what kind of gear to convey, together with weapons.

Ultimately, on Jan. 6 they stashed their weapons at a Virginia lodge simply exterior Washington and had a fast response drive on standby able to rush them into downtown, if needed.

On the day itself, Rhodes didn’t enter the Capitol, however three of his co-defendants did, in a military-style stack formation: Meggs, Harrelson and Watkins.

Days after the siege on the Capitol Jan. 6, 2021, a former army veteran secretly recorded Rhodes saying he regretted not bringing rifles to the Capitol and making threats in opposition to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-California.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathryn Rakoczy urged jurors in her closing argument to not turn into “numb” to the violent rhetoric, warning that democracy is in a fragile state.

Defense’s case

Attorneys for the defendants pushed back in opposition to varied points of the federal government’s case.

Witnesses testified that having a fast response drive was routine for the Oath Keepers, and that the group had comparable groups arrange at earlier rallies.

They mentioned the Oath Keepers have been there to supply safety for pro-Trump audio system and VIPs.

The protection additionally elicited testimony from witnesses, together with the 2 Oath Keepers who pleaded responsible and cooperated with the federal government, that there was no plan to storm the Capitol. They additionally mentioned Rhodes by no means ordered them to enter the constructing.

But the federal government pointed to testimony from cooperating witnesses who mentioned that there was an implicit understanding — an unstated settlement — that the Oath Keepers reached to do no matter was needed to stop Biden from taking workplace.

And whereas there might haven’t been a concrete plan forward of time, prosecutors mentioned the riot on the Capitol introduced a possibility for the Oath Keepers to behave to attempt to block Congress’ certification of Biden’s election win.