Ex-Officer Convicted of Storming Capitol to Disrupt Congress

Washington – A federal jury on Monday convicted a former Virginia police officer of storming the U.S. Capitol with one other off-duty officer to hinder Congress from certifying President Joe Biden’s 2020 electoral victory.

Jurors convicted former Rocky Mount police officer Thomas Robertson of all six counts he confronted stemming from the January 6, 2021, riot, together with expenses that he interfered with cops on the Capitol and that he entered a restricted space with a harmful weapon, a big wood stick.

His sentencing listening to wasn’t instantly scheduled.

Robertson’s jury trial was the second amongst tons of of Capitol riot instances. The primary ended final month with jurors convicting a Texas man, Man Reffitt, of all 5 counts in his indictment.

Robertson did not testify at his trial, which began final Tuesday. Jurors deliberated for a number of hours over two days earlier than reaching their unanimous verdict.

One juror, who spoke to The Related Press solely on situation of anonymity, mentioned as she left the courthouse, ‘I believe the federal government made a very compelling case, and the proof was pretty overwhelming.’

A key witness for prosecutors in his case was Jacob Fracker, who additionally served on the Rocky Mount police power and considered Robertson as a mentor and father determine. Fracker was scheduled to be tried alongside Robertson earlier than he pleaded responsible final month to a conspiracy cost and agreed to cooperate with authorities. Fracker testified Thursday that he had hoped the mob that attacked the Capitol might overturn the outcomes of the 2020 presidential election.

Robertson was charged with six counts: obstruction of Congress, interfering with officers throughout a civil dysfunction, coming into a restricted space whereas carrying a harmful weapon, disorderly or disruptive conduct in a restricted space whereas carrying a harmful weapon, disorderly or disruptive conduct contained in the Capitol constructing, and obstruction. The final cost stems from his alleged post-riot destruction of cellphones belonging to him and Fracker.

In the course of the trial’s closing arguments Friday, Assistant U.S. Lawyer Risa Berkower mentioned Robertson went to Washington and joined a ‘violent vigilante mob’ as a result of he believed the election was stolen from then-President Donald Trump. He used the wood keep on with intrude with outnumbered police earlier than he joined the group pouring into the Capitol, she mentioned.

‘The defendant did all this as a result of he wished to overturn the election,’ Berkower mentioned.

Protection lawyer Mark Rollins conceded that Robertson broke the legislation when he entered the Capitol through the riot. He inspired jurors to convict Robertson of misdemeanor offenses however urged them to acquit Robertson of felony expenses that he used the stick as a harmful weapon and that he meant to cease Congress from certifying the Electoral Faculty vote.

‘There have been no plans to go down there and say, ‘I’ll cease Congress from doing this vote,” Rollins mentioned.

Fracker testified that he initially believed he was merely trespassing when he entered the Capitol constructing. Nevertheless, he finally pleaded responsible to conspiring with Robertson to hinder Congress.

Below cross-examination by Rollins, Fracker mentioned he did not have a ‘verbal settlement’ with anyone to hinder the joint session of Congress. Fracker mentioned he believed everyone within the mob ‘just about had the identical purpose’ and did not want for it to be ‘mentioned out loud.’

Robertson and Fracker drove with a neighbor to Washington on the morning of January 6. Robertson introduced three fuel masks for them to make use of, in response to prosecutors.

After listening to speeches close to the Washington Monument, Fracker, Robertson and the neighbor walked towards the Capitol, donned the fuel masks and joined the rising mob, prosecutors mentioned. Robertson stopped to assist his neighbor, who was having bother respiration. Fracker broke off and entered the constructing earlier than Robertson, however they reunited contained in the Capitol.

Protection lawyer Camille Wagner instructed jurors that Robertson solely went into the Capitol as a result of he wished to retrieve Fracker, who entered the Capitol a couple of minutes earlier than Robertson. Wagner mentioned the U.S. Military veteran was utilizing the stick to assist him stroll as a result of he has a limp from getting shot in the suitable thigh whereas working as a non-public contractor for the U.S. Protection Division in Afghanistan in 2011.

Jurors noticed a few of Robertson’s vitriolic posts on social media earlier than and after the Capitol riot. In a Fb submit on November 7, 2020, Robertson mentioned ‘being disenfranchised by fraud is my arduous line.’

‘I’ve spent most of my grownup life preventing a counter insurgency. (I am) about to turn out to be a part of one, and a really efficient one,’ he wrote.

Assistant U.S. Lawyer Elizabeth Aloi instructed jurors that Robertson was charged for his actions, not his political opinions. Wagner additionally mentioned Robertson ought to be judged by his actions, not his phrases.

The city fired Robertson and Fracker after the riot. Rocky Mount is about 25 miles south of Roanoke and has roughly 5,000 residents.

Robertson has been jailed since Cooper dominated in July that he violated the phrases of his pretrial launch by possessing firearms.

Greater than 770 individuals have been charged with federal crimes associated to the riot. Over 250 of them have pleaded responsible, principally to misdemeanors.

Robertson’s trial is one in every of 4 up to now for Capitol riot defendants. Two others had their instances determined by bench trials earlier than the identical decide.

U.S. District Choose Trevor McFadden convicted New Mexico elected official Couy Griffin final month of illegally coming into restricted Capitol grounds however acquitted him of partaking in disorderly conduct. On Wednesday, McFadden acquitted one other New Mexico man, Matthew Martin, of all 4 expenses that he confronted.