Emily Berret, who was an aide to Pelosi on Jan. 6, testified that the desk within the well-known image was hers, and he or she described the horror she skilled when she noticed the picture on the information whereas on lockdown with the speaker.
Barnett remained stoic as the decision was learn shortly earlier than midday Monday. His companion, Tammy Newburn, was flanked within the public gallery by the mom of Ashli Babbitt — who was shot and killed by a Capitol Police officer as she sought to breach the Home chamber on Jan. 6 — and the mom of Enrique Tarrio, who was on the identical second in a courtroom two flooring under dealing with fees of seditious conspiracy. Additionally seated alongside Newburn was Nicole Reffitt, the spouse of Jan. 6 defendant Man Reffitt, who’s serving a seven-and-a-half-year sentence.
Barnett took the stand in his personal protection, contending that he was “pushed” into the Capitol by the Jan. 6 mob after which roamed round in search of a toilet till he stumbled into Pelosi’s suite. He stated he took the envelope as a result of he had bled on it and considered it as a “biohazard.” He left an American flag on a aspect desk contained in the workplace as nicely. He stated that he was angered by police actions outdoors the Capitol, disoriented after being maced within the rotunda and made overheated statements within the second.
After he bought residence to Arkansas, Barnett shortly turned himself in, however claimed he misplaced his cellphone shortly after he arrived, and the Hike N Strike weapon was equally lacking.
Prosecutors forcefully rebutted Barnett’s contentions in tense cross-examination that brought about Barnett to develop annoyed in entrance of the jury. Barnett described himself as a “fucking fool” who made intemperate feedback however stated he shouldn’t be held criminally chargeable for his actions.
They famous that he angrily berated Capitol Cops contained in the rotunda after leaving Pelosi’s suite, showing to beckon the mob ahead as he demanded the officers retrieve his misplaced flag. Although he didn’t deploy his stun weapon, prosecutors say its presence at his aspect offered a risk, and the jury agreed.
Chatting with reporters outdoors the courthouse, Barnett vowed to enchantment the decision and stated he had “completely not” obtained a good trial, mainly as a result of he confronted a jury in liberal-leaning Washington, D.C.
“I feel the venue ought to have been modified. This isn’t a jury of my friends. I don’t agree with that call. However I do admire the method. And we’re absolutely going to enchantment,” Barnett stated.
The prosecution requested U.S. District Decide Christopher Cooper to jail Barnett pending sentencing, however Cooper declined, permitting Barnett to stay beneath residence detention till his sentencing, set for Might 3.
Whereas Barnett wasn’t accused of any violence on Jan. 6, prosecutors asking for Barnett to be put behind bars on Monday stated the scenario in Pelosi’s workplace might’ve been a lot worse if she’d been in her workplace when rioters like Barnett reached it.
“We will solely think about what would have occurred if she had been there at the moment,” Assistant U.S. Lawyer Alison Prout stated.
Prout stated Barnett lied when he took the stand final week and hasn’t taken duty for his actions. “Because the trial testimony final week, the defendant has been tweeting and has expressed no regret for his conduct,” she stated.
A protection legal professional for Barnett, Joseph McBride, famous that Barnett has been on pretrial launch since April 2021 with out notable incident. “It doesn’t make sense to throw him in jail at this second,” McBride stated.
Barnett insisted to reporters that he had expressed regret, however he declined to say precisely what he regretted.
McBride and his co-counsel, Brad Geyer, additionally defended the protection’s uncommon tactic of laughing throughout parts of the federal government’s case. McBride stated it was an acceptable response to prosecutors searching for to leverage a few of McBride’s extra outlandish political statements.
“We expect that it’s completely objectionable, and ridiculous {that a} man might be on trial, and probably be sentenced to the remainder of his life in jail, and have tweets used towards him — some political tweets,” McBride stated. “So, we made a aware resolution to chuckle at that as a result of, on the finish of the day, we don’t consider that that stuff had anywhere on this trial.”