Brianne Chapman protests outdoors the federal courthouse in Washington, D.C., on Friday, in the course of the sentencing listening to for Julian Khater and George Tanios. Khater pleaded responsible to assaulting Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick with pepper spray on Jan. 6, 2021.

Jose Luis Magana/AP

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Jose Luis Magana/AP

Brianne Chapman protests outdoors the federal courthouse in Washington, D.C., on Friday, in the course of the sentencing listening to for Julian Khater and George Tanios. Khater pleaded responsible to assaulting Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick with pepper spray on Jan. 6, 2021.

Jose Luis Magana/AP

A rioter who assaulted legislation enforcement officers with pepper spray outdoors the Capitol Building in the course of the Jan. 6 riot was sentenced to 80 months in jail Friday with credit score for time served.

Julian Khater of Somerset, N.J., pleaded responsible final September to 2 felony counts of assaulting, resisting or impeding officers with a harmful weapon in the course of the Jan. 6 revolt on the Capitol. He’s been incarcerated since March 14, 2021.

One of the officers Khater was charged with assaulting, Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick, died the day after the assault. Washington, D.C., Chief Medical Examiner Francisco Diaz found that Sicknick died from natural causes after struggling a number of strokes; Diaz informed the Washington Post, “all that transpired played a role in his condition.”

In courtroom Friday, Sicknick’s mom, Gladys Sicknick, informed Khater, “You attacked my son like he was an animal. You are the animal, Mr. Khater. … How does it feel to be headed to jail for a bald-faced lie?”

Khater’s position within the revolt

Khater traveled to the Capitol on Jan. 6, together with his now co-defendant, George Pierre Tanios of Morgantown, W.V. Tanios had bought two cannisters of pepper spray and two cannisters of bear spray someday earlier than the 2 males arrived in D.C., the Justice Department says.

They attended former President Donald Trump’s rally on the Ellipse after which marched to the Capitol constructing, the place they joined the mob.

As the mob pushed to enter the constructing, legislation enforcement officers tried to maintain protesters again by using a motorbike rack as a barrier. At 2:23 p.m., rioters tried to drag the rack away from officers, which is when Khater pepper-sprayed Sicknick within the face, forcing the officer to retreat, the DOJ assertion stated.

Khater then sprayed two different officers, who had been additionally compelled to retreat.

“All three officers suffered bodily injury from the pepper spray attack and were incapacitated and unable to perform their duties,” the DOJ assertion stated.

Officer Caroline Edwards, who was sprayed concurrently Sicknick, stated he turned “ghostly pale.” She went on to clarify that she could not assist him as a result of she was quickly blinded from the chemical spray, and consequently continues to wrestle with survivor’s guilt.

“Brian gave some of the very last breaths he had defending the Capitol building … and our democracy,” Edwards stated Friday.

Khater and Tanios had been arrested in March 2021 and each pleaded responsible to the fees introduced towards them. Tanios was sentenced Friday to time served.

Khater wasn’t charged with homicide

Khater’s legal professionals famous that Sicknick died of pure causes on Jan. 7, 2021, and argued that the defendant wasn’t accountable both immediately or not directly for the officer’s loss of life.

Judge Thomas Hogan labeled that situation “the elephant in the room” and stated he wouldn’t sentence Khater or Tanios for a criminal offense that they had not been charged with.

Having stated that, Hogan additionally stated that assaulting the officers with chemical spray was “inexcusable.”

Khater and Tanios are additionally going through civil lawsuits

President Biden introduced Serena Liebengood the Presidential Citizens Medal on behalf of her associate, U.S. Capitol Police officer Howard C. Liebengood, who died by suicide days after the Jan. 6 assault on the Capitol.

Patrick Semansky/AP

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Patrick Semansky/AP

President Biden introduced Serena Liebengood the Presidential Citizens Medal on behalf of her associate, U.S. Capitol Police officer Howard C. Liebengood, who died by suicide days after the Jan. 6 assault on the Capitol.

Patrick Semansky/AP

Hogan stated he did not hear Khater apologize to the officers, together with dozens who had been injured and a few who can by no means return to responsibility.

“I find that is a very self-centered approach,” Hogan informed Khater Friday.

In response, Khater informed the choose that he had labored on “many drafts” of his assertion, however that he did not apologize due to ongoing civil circumstances. Hogan informed Khater that he needs to be involved about civil legal responsibility.

Sicknick’s longtime associate Sandra Garza sued the two rioters as well as Trump for Sicknick’s wrongful loss of life. She is looking for $10 million in damages from every defendant.

Garza stated on the sentencing that she has seen “zero remorse” from both Khater or Tanios.

“To say the least, this has been a long, agonizing but humbling experience that has taken a huge toll on me,” Khater stated, including that he suffers from “crippling anxiety.”

On the two-year anniversary of the revolt earlier this month, President Biden awarded 14 folks the Presidential Citizens Medal for defending the Capitol, together with posthumous awards for Sicknick and fellow Capitol Police Officer Howard Liebengood. Liebengood died by suicided, in accordance with a household legal professional, just some days after defending the Capitol Building.