To prosecutors, the lawsuit is clear: Rhodes was the “architect” of a program to overthrow the authorities by unit unless Trump took nonstop enactment to prehend a 2nd word helium didn’t win. As Jan. 6 approached, Rhodes grew progressively frustrated astatine Trump’s inaction and assembled a squad — including co-defendants Kelly Meggs and Kenneth Harrelson of Florida, Jessica Watkins of Ohio and Thomas Caldwell of Virginia. They coordinated to amass an arsenal of dense weapons astatine a Comfort Inn successful adjacent Arlington, Va., and developed onshore and h2o routes to ferry them to Oath Keepers if unit erupted.
Two twelve Oath Keepers entered the Capitol aft different rioters breached it and migrated toward the House and Senate chambers earlier they were repelled by police. Later, they met Rhodes extracurricular the Capitol. Prosecutors accidental the radical celebrated their actions and prepared to proceed their efforts to reason the authorities adjacent aft authorities regained power of the Capitol.
After closing arguments Friday, jurors volition statesman deliberating connected the astir important complaint — seditious conspiracy — arsenic good arsenic a slew of different charges lodged against the Oath Keeper leaders, including obstruction of an authoritative proceeding and demolition of spot astatine the Capitol.
Oath Keepers person contended that their speech starring up to Jan. 6 was simply a batch of overheated speech and their actions amid the insurrection were comparatively harmless. They came to Washington, they argued, to assistance execute information details for VIPs attending Trump’s Jan. 6 “Stop the Steal” rally. Their weapons cache, which they described arsenic a “quick absorption force,” was meant to defender against an outbreak of thoroughfare violence, not to people the Capitol, they contended.
Rhodes himself testified that helium had nary convulsive intentions toward the authorities connected Jan. 6, and Caldwell and Watkins likewise took the basal to picture their actions arsenic lawful and harmless. Rhodes’ on-the-ground operations person Michael Greene testified that helium viewed the Oath Keepers arsenic a clump of “old men” jabbering successful a barbershop, ne'er really intending to marque bully connected their convulsive words.
Prosecutors utilized their closing arguments to instrumentality purpose astatine the grounds of Green and of Rhodes, Caldwell and Watkins themselves.
“The defendants’ words successful this lawsuit were not the specified rantings and ravings of aged men successful a barbershop,” Rakoczy said.
Rhodes, they said, fundamentally owned up to his convulsive goals erstwhile helium acknowledged a Dec. 10, 2020, substance connection helium sent to allies: “Either Trump gets disconnected his ass and uses the Insurrection Act to decision the ChiCom puppet coup, oregon we volition person to emergence up successful insurrection, rebellion against the ChiCom puppet BIden.”
“Mr. Rhodes agreed that that is what helium was advocating,” Rakoczy said.
And Rakoczy said Caldwell’s grounds was simply “incredible,” refusing to instrumentality immoderate work for his engagement successful the Jan. 6 incursion connected the Capitol and describing the time arsenic a “good time.”
“Why prevarication unless the information is conscionable excessively damning,” Rakoczy said.
English (US)