Posted on 07/12/2023 7:29:17 PM PDT by Coronal
The Justice Department is appealing the 18-year-prison sentence handed down for Oath Keepers founder Stewart Rhodes in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol, as well as other far-right extremists' punishments that were shorter than what prosecutors had sought, according to court papers filed Wednesday.
While Rhodes received a lengthy sentence for seditious conspiracy and other convictions, the 18-year term was below the recommended range under federal guidelines and less than the 25 years the Justice Department had asked for in one of the most serious cases to go to trial in the Capitol attack.
Defendants routinely appeal their convictions and sentences, but it is more unusual for prosecutors to challenge the length of a prison term imposed by judges who have wide discretion when handing down punishments. Rhodes' was the longest sentence that has been handed down so far in more than 1,000 Capitol riot cases.
Rhodes' attorney, James Lee Bright, called the government's decision to appeal “surprising." At his sentencing hearing in May, a defiant Rhodes claimed to be a “political prisoner,” criticized prosecutors and the Biden administration and tried to play down his actions on Jan. 6.
The Justice Department filed notices in court that they intend to appeal the sentences of other Oath Keepers, including Florida chapter leader Kelly Meggs, who was convicted of seditious conspiracy alongside Rhodes and sentenced to 12 years behind bars.
Three other Oath Keepers tried with Rhodes were acquitted of the sedition charge but convicted of other felonies. Four Oath Keepers were convicted of the seditious conspiracy charge at a second trial in January.
(Excerpt) Read more at nbcsandiego.com ...
I think it happening across all states simultaneously and with BLM and AntiFa crossing state lines to burn and loot cities and the destruction and sacking of DC itself makes it a federal issue.
Don’t you think?
There's a bit of controversy In my area regarding prosecutions basically inferring none. A number of protesters who did stupid but maybe short of truly stupid had charges dismissed. But there were some prosecutions of those caught doing significant damage or harm.
However I’m not one to say A shouldn’t be prosecuted for a crime because B wasn’t. All should be, but when across the board prosecutions don’t happen, I don’t think a stop should be done.
Do you believe those rioters should have been shot?
The ones burning down the churches and trying to storm the White House gates?
Yes.
Extend to those causing damage to the Capitol?
Really? They set fire to the capital? Do you have proof of that?
Excuse me? Did I write the word fire? I said damage.
Excuse me - you’re the one trying to associate burning and looting the cities including a church AND an attack on the White House throughout the summer of 2020 with the protests on J6.
There is no comparison and you just admitted as such.
tThinking further about the Floyd protesters/rioters being federally charged, throughout the ordeal, while Trump grumbled, he didn’t bring the feds in except before his walk through Lafayette Park. And that may be what precludes federal charges.
No - you’re excusing the sacking and looting of cities and burning churches to J6 in a false equivalency.
Incorrect. Both were wrong.
Incorrect. One group burned, looted and pillaged whole cities, burnt a church in DC and actively attacked and assaulted congressman. The other… didn’t even set fire to the capitol.
There’s that false equivalency again.
But sure ThEy WuZ bOtH pRoTeStInG sO iTs tHe SaMe.
That’s now two things you’re wrong about.
I guess we’ll have to disagree.
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