As a result of their pleas to illegal parading or picketing at the U.S Capitol on Jan. 6, two defendants have each been sentenced to 36 months probation, a period the judge described as designed to last through the next two election cycles to discourage "political violence."
During a hearing at the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, Chief Judge Beryl Howell expressed disappointment with prosecutors who repeatedly made plea agreements using misdemeanor charges of parading, demonstrating, or picketing in a Capitol building. She said the charges essentially minimize the effects of Jan. 6.
Howell emphasized to both defendants that what happened on Jan. 6, 2021, was not a political protest, nor could be considered speech protected by the First Amendment. She questioned both men on whether they believed at any time that the 2020 presidential election was “stolen.”
The U.S. Capitol was the scene of a protest when James D. Lollis Jr. of Greer, South Carolina, pleaded guilty to parading, demonstrating, or picketing in the building. Lollis was convicted of entering the U.S Capitol, adhering an “[expletive] Antifa” sticker to the wall, and spending about five minutes in the building.
In addition to his sentence of three years probation and three months of home detention, Judge Howell ordered him to perform 100 hours of community service within a year and to pay $500 restitution.
The judge determined that probation combined with home detention would be appropriate so that he can avoid engaging in the political violence that occurred on January 6th going forward," the judge said.
18 Feb 2022
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