Prosecutors use Oath Keepers leader's own words against him in heated cross-examination - CNN

CNN  — 

In a tense, head-to-head speech with Oath Keepers person Stewart Rhodes, prosecutors utilized Rhodes’ ain words from texts, speeches and interviews to suggest to the assemblage that the militia person misled them when helium testified helium was unaware of different members’ activities connected January 6, 2021, and was appalled by the unit that day.

Rhodes is the archetypal of the 5 defendants charged with seditious conspiracy in national tribunal successful Washington, DC, to testify.

In his two-day testimony, Rhodes told the assemblage that helium wasn’t progressive successful the specifics of readying for January 6, and that helium had nary cognition of plans for the alleged quick absorption unit that the radical acceptable up successful Virginia to rapidly determination weapons into Washington, arsenic prosecutors person alleged.

Prosecutor Kathryn Rakoczy, however, showed the assemblage Signal messages successful which Rhodes told different members that “We WILL person a QRF” connected January 6 due to the fact that “this concern calls for it” and was portion of radical messages wherever members shared photographs of routes the QRF could usage to participate the city.

“The subordinate stopped with you successful this operation,” Rakoczy said to Rhodes, speechmaking the leader’s messages aloud.

“I’m liable for everything everyone other did?” Rhodes responded.

“You’re successful charge, right?” Rakoczy said.

“Not if they bash thing disconnected mission,” helium changeable back.

“That’s convenient,” Rakoczy said, smiling.

The militia person besides told prosecutors that helium “hoped to avoid” struggle and was lone acrophobic astir a civilian warfare breaking retired aft Joe Biden became president – starring to a chiding question from Rakoczy astir however “the civilian warfare volition beryllium connected [January] 21st and not connected the sixth?”

“I don’t condone the unit that happened” connected January 6, Rhodes testified. “Anyone who did battle a constabulary serviceman that time should beryllium prosecuted for it.”

Rakoczy pointed to statements Rhodes made successful a secretly recorded conversation successful the days aft January 6 wherever helium said helium wished the Oath Keepers had brought rifles to the Capitol that day.

“If he’s not going to bash the close thing, and he’s conscionable going to fto himself beryllium removed illegally, past we should person brought rifles,” Rhodes said successful the signaling prosecutors again played for the jury.

“We could person fixed it close past and there,” Rhodes said of the Capitol attack, according to the recording. “I’d bent f**king Pelosi from the lamppost.”

After playing the recording, Rakoczy asked Rhodes, “That’s what you said 4 days aft the battle astatine the Capitol, right?”

“Yeah, aft a mates drinks and I was pissed off,” Rhodes testified.

Rhodes and the different 4 defendants person pleaded not blameworthy to the seditious conspiracy charges.