Four members of the far-right militia group Oath Keepers were found guilty of conspiring to attack the US Capitol on January 6 by a jury in Washington, DC, on Monday.
Six Oath Keepers, including their leader Stewart Rhodes, were found guilty of seditious conspiracy over the course of two separate trials from late last year through January.
Also read: In connection with the attack on January 6, 4 further Oath Keepers were found guilty of seditious conspiracy.
Sandra Parker, Bennie Parker, Laura Steele, Connie Meggs, Michael Greene, and William Isaacs were the six defendants in the ongoing jury trial. They also faced a number of other counts, including the lesser charge of conspiring to hinder an official investigation.
While Greene was exonerated of the accusation of conspiring to obstruct officers from carrying out their duty, Isaacs, Meggs, Steele, and Sandra Parker were all found guilty of the charges they faced. All six defendants were convicted guilty of trespassing, however Bennie Parker was found not guilty of blocking the electoral college’s certification.
Over the course of the trial, each defendant has maintained their innocence, claiming that the events on January 6 were more of an unplanned outburst of peaceful protesters than a component of a planned campaign to overthrow the government. The verdict is anticipated to be appealed in court by defense counsel.
Prosecutors asserted that the other four defendants entered the Capitol on January 6 as part of the now-famous “stack” formation of Oath Keepers, even though Bennie Parker and Greene were not claimed to have done so.Despite Greene’s denials, the prosecution pointed to private messages he sent to a group chat where Oath Keepers members conversed as the riot spread. These messages included one that read, “We’re Storming the Capitol,” and another where he noted rioters breaking into the office of then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
On January 6, 2021, in Washington, DC, Trump supporters attempted to attack the US Capitol, but were met with resistance from police and security personnel. Getty Images/AFP/Joseph Prezioso, FILE
Two charges against Michael Greene and Bennie Parker are still under jury consideration.
Over 1,000 people have been detained by the police in connection with the attack on the US Capitol on January 6. Federal prosecutors are still bringing up a lot of evidence.
