Jan. 6 Capitol Insurrectionist Convicted After First Jury Trial Among Rioters

March 8, 2022 by Tom Ramstack
<strong>Jan. 6 Capitol Insurrectionist Convicted After First Jury Trial Among Rioters</strong>
This artist sketch depicts Guy Wesley Reffitt, bottom right, joined by his lawyer William Welch, third from right, listening as prosecutor Risa Berkower, speaks at the podium at center, as a video depicts a handgun on the waist of Reffitt, at left, for members of the jury and audience in Federal Court, in Washington, Monday, March 7, 2022. (Dana Verkouteren via AP)

WASHINGTON — A Texas oil rig worker on Tuesday became the first criminal defendant from the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol to be convicted by a jury.

Guy Reffitt, 49, was convicted in U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C., of disrupting the certification by Congress of the 2020 presidential election in favor of Joe Biden.

He also was convicted of threatening to obstruct justice, illegally transporting a firearm and carrying a firearm onto restricted government property.

Reffitt was one of more than 750 supporters of former President Donald Trump charged with participating in the insurrection. More than 200 have pleaded guilty to a variety of charges, most commonly obstruction of an official proceeding.

Evidence against him included photos, video and personal testimony of witnesses. His own 19-year-old son was one of the witnesses.

Reffitt is a self-proclaimed member of the right-wing Texas Three Percenters militia group. The video shows him climbing a stone banister on the west side of the Capitol as the mob pushed back against police.

The video showed police warning Reffitt to stay back before officers fired less-than-lethal ammunition and pepper spray at him.

The video also shows Reffitt gesturing to other rioters as he apparently encouraged them to break into the Capitol.

Prosecutors played video and audio that Reffitt recorded on a Kodak 360-degree camera mounted on his helmet. The audio of his voice says, “We’re taking the Capitol before the day is out. Everybody is in the same harmony on that … dragging ’em out kicking and f***ing screaming.”

He also said, “I didn’t come here to play games … I just want to see Pelosi’s head hit every f***ing stair on the way out. I think we have the numbers to make it happen … without firing a single shot.”

Reffitt’s attorneys did not call any witnesses during the four days of testimony.

Instead, they tried to refute the prosecution’s evidence by saying he did not cause any damage at the Capitol. They also said he was exercising his First Amendment right to free speech.

The jury took less than four hours to convict Reffitt on all charges. His sentencing is set for June 8.

Tom can be reached at [email protected]

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