Oath Keepers seditious conspiracy trial: What to know

CNN  — 

The historic seditious conspiracy trial of 5 alleged Oath Keepers – a intently watched check of how the Justice Division is prosecuting US Capitol rioters – is nearing an finish with closing arguments scheduled to start Friday.

The trial started greater than seven weeks in the past and has featured tons of of messages, audio recordings, and movies of the defendants’ revolutionary rhetoric within the wake of Joe Biden’s 2020 presidential victory, and of their actions as they traversed the US Capitol grounds through the riot on January 6, 2021.

Protection attorneys argued that that there was no uniformed plan among the many group, that the far-right Oath Keepers militia group solely attended the Cease the Steal rally to supply safety particulars for audio system, and that the inflammatory recordings of the defendants had been nothing greater than “locker room speak.”

Stewart Rhodes, Kelly Meggs, Kenneth Harrelson, Jessica Watkins and Thomas Caldwell have all pleaded not responsible.

Right here’s what to know concerning the case:

Stewart Rhodes, 57, founded the Oath Keepers in 2009 and has led the group ever since. Prosecutors say Rhodes stood exterior the Capitol on January 6 performing like a “basic” as his followers breached the constructing.

Kelly Meggs, 53, is a frontrunner of the Oath Keepers’ Florida chapter and, based on the federal government, led the notorious “stack” formation of Oath Keepers contained in the Capitol on January 6.

Kenneth Harrelson, 41, can also be a Florida Oath Keeper and allegedly acted as Meggs’ right-hand man on January 6.

Jessica Watkins, 40, led her own militia in Ohio earlier than becoming a member of the Oath Keepers within the wake of the 2020 election. Prosecutors say Watkins, who’s transgender, allegedly entered the Capitol with Harrelson and Meggs and coordinated with Caldwell within the weeks prior.

Thomas Caldwell, a 68-year-old who testified that he’s not a member of the Oath Keepers, allegedly helped arrange the armed fast response power stationed exterior of DC on January 6. Caldwell additionally hosted Oath Keepers at his Virginia farm, prosecutors say, and communicated with Watkins through the riot.

Jurors will think about 10 fees towards the defendants together with three conspiracy fees, obstructing the certification of the electoral faculty vote, and tampering with paperwork.

Seditious conspiracy: All 5 defendants are accused of planning to make use of power to cease the lawful switch of presidential energy on January 6.

Conspiracy to Hinder and Obstructing an Official Continuing: The defendants are all going through fees alleging that they conspired collectively to, and did, cease Congress from certifying the electoral faculty votes contained in the Capitol.

Conspiracy to forestall an officer from discharging any duties: This cost additionally pertains to the certification of the electoral faculty vote. The indictment alleges that each one 5 defendants labored collectively to “stop by power, intimidation, and menace… Members of america Congress, from discharging any duties,” particularly, certifying the election.

Destruction of Authorities Property and Aiding and Abetting: Meggs, Harrelson and Watkins, based on prosecutors, had been a part of a crowd that burst by the Capitol’s Rotunda doorways on January 6. They don’t seem to be alleged to have damaged the doorways themselves.

Civil Dysfunction and Aiding and Abetting: Jurors will think about whether or not Jessica Watkins interfered with legislation enforcement when she allegedly joined a crowd close to the Senate chamber, pushed towards and shouted at officers who had been guarding the chamber doorways.

Tampering with Paperwork or Proceedings and Aiding and Abetting: Rhodes, Meggs, Harrelson and Caldwell are every going through fees for allegedly deleting messages and photos from their telephones or social media accounts after January 6. Prosecutors additionally allege that Rhodes instructed different Oath Keepers to delete messages after the riot.

A number of present and former members of the group have taken the stand, providing a glimpse into how on-line conspiracy theories within the wake of the 2020 election pushed some to hitch the Oath Keepers and take motion on January 6.

Graydon Younger, an Oath Keeper who has pleaded responsible to January 6 fees, testified that he felt “desperation and hopelessness” after the 2020 election, and feared that nothing would cease a “fraud” from being dedicated on the American individuals. So, Younger mentioned, he joined the Oath Keepers as a method to struggle again.

“I suppose I used to be acting like a traitor towards my very own authorities,” Younger, who entered the Capitol that day, advised the jury. Younger mentioned the group had an implicit plan to storm the Capitol however was by no means immediately advised to enter.

One other Oath Keeper who pleaded responsible and is cooperating with prosecutors, Jason Dolan, described an identical descent into hopelessness after the 2020 election.

“I needed [lawmakers] to listen to and really feel the identical issues I used to be feeling on the time,” Dolan testified, watching a video of himself and Harrelson chant “treason” as they walked by the Capitol that day. “It felt like I’ve been betrayed. I needed them to listen to and really feel the anger, the frustration, the trend that I felt.”

Three of the defendants, Rhodes, Caldwell and Watkins, additionally testified through the trial, downplaying their unhinged messages and arguing that there was no plan to invade town with weapons.

Rhodes described to the jury why he believed the 2020 election was “unconstitutional,” and testified that he needed then-President Donald Trump to invoke the Revolt Act to cease the election from being licensed. Rhodes claimed he by no means gave orders for members to go contained in the Capitol and spent a lot of the day attempting to assemble Oath Keepers in a single place.

Prosecutors additionally revealed new personal messages between Oath Keepers and secretly recorded conferences of the group allegedly calling for violence, together with one recording simply days after the riot through which Rhodes mentioned he wished he introduced rifles to the Capitol that day and warned of “fight right here on US soil.”

Different defendants additionally complained that the riot wasn’t extra profitable, prosecutors mentioned, noting how a lot hazard lawmakers and police within the Capitol confronted that day.

Younger recounted a dialog he had with a gaggle of Oath Keepers, together with Kenneth Harrelson, after they left the Capitol. Harrelson mentioned the police gear would have been “ineffective” towards firearms, Younger advised the jury.

“The entire basic context was that if we had been extra equipped or ready, we would have been in a position to get by,” Younger testified.

Caldwell additionally lamented not having sufficient firepower, prosecutors allege, writing in a Fb message that night that “If we’d had weapons I assure we’d have killed 100 politicians. They ran off and had been spirited away by their underground tunnels just like the rats they had been.”

Meggs, too, allegedly celebrated the violence in messages. Prosecutors say that when an acquaintance advised Meggs he “hoped to see Nancy’s head rolling down the entrance steps,” Meggs, who may be seen in safety footage exterior Pelosi’s workplace that day, responded, “We regarded ahead [sic] her.”

The trial – the primary of three seditious conspiracy circumstances set to start out this 12 months – is a significant check of the Justice Division’s idea that far-right extremist teams plotted to disrupt America’s longstanding custom of a peaceable switch of energy.

The seditious conspiracy cost is politically dangerous and notoriously troublesome to show. Instances are introduced sometimes, and prosecutors haven’t gained a conviction on the cost in a long time.

If prosecutors do handle to safe a seditious conspiracy conviction, it may assist rebut criticisms that the Justice Division has not been aggressive sufficient in prosecuting rioters and assist dispel claims that the riot was merely a protest that obtained out of hand.

The decision may additionally include ramifications for a Justice Division more and more beneath political hearth. When it was unsealed early this 12 months, the indictment towards members of the Oath Keepers sparked outrage amongst some supporters of the previous president and figureheads on the suitable who claimed the allegations had been exaggerated and the costs politically motivated.

Legislation enforcement leaders have continued to warn of the current rise in home extremist threats from lone actors and small teams, a menace some Republican lawmakers have sought to downplay.

Following Trump’s presidential marketing campaign announcement Tuesday evening, the decision may face additional scrutiny down the street. The previous president – who advised his supporters to go to the Capitol on January 6 – has mentioned that, if elected, he would think about “full pardons” for the rioters.