Another individual who assaulted police officers during the Capitol violence in January has been caught, and they’re now facing the possibility of up to 20 years in prison or more. Michigan resident Justin Jersey assaulted police with a baton at the Capitol, and he’s now been hit with six criminal charges, including assault on law enforcement officers and civil disorder, among other offenses. It’s the charge of assaulting police that’s tied to a possibility of up to 20 years behind bars, apparently due at least to the usage of a weapon against officers.
NEW: Feds announce charges in US Capitol breach case against Justin Jersey of Flint, Michigan. He joins a growing case of defendants accused of assaulting police
Jersey's accused of "arming himself with a baton" & using it to strike officers
— Scott MacFarlane (@MacFarlaneNews) December 2, 2021
Per The Detroit News, Jersey “made a brief appearance Thursday in federal court and is being held without bond pending transfer to federal court in Washington, D.C.” Thus, he seems set to — for now, at least — join the ranks of Capitol rioters who are getting held in custody ahead of their eventual trials or guilty pleas. Some of those who are accused of perpetrating more serious violence at the Capitol have been held throughout recent months on the basis of concerns including that they could be a danger to the community if allowed out. As also summarized by The Detroit News, Jersey “is accused of participating in an assault of a Metropolitan Police Department officer before grabbing a baton and striking other officers, according to the indictment.” In other words, his apparent offenses were serious.
.@MaddowBlog: "The mob takes the Fifth Amendment," Trump used to say. "If you're innocent, why are you taking the Fifth Amendment?" And then there's Jeffrey Clark.https://t.co/Dpuwj5H6uu
— MSNBC (@MSNBC) December 3, 2021
According to a Justice Department press release, over 210 individuals have been charged with assaulting police amid the Capitol violence — and considering the fact that it’s now nearly 11 months after the initial incident with serious criminal charges still emerging anew, it seems safe to suspect that the number will likely continue to rise.
Just a reminder that Donald Trump and Mark Meadows may have violated federal criminal law by attempting to weaponize the DOJ as part of their larger campaign to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election. https://t.co/jtreL3cmcR
— Citizens for Ethics (@CREWcrew) December 3, 2021
Trump has consistently defended those who participated in the storming of the Capitol, even to the point of seeking to excuse chants of “Hang Mike Pence!”, which rang out because of the then-vice president’s refusal to attempt to use power that he in actuality did not possess to stop the certification of Biden’s victory. Discussing Pence’s role overseeing the Congressional certification process, Trump said, when asked about the murderous chants: “Because it’s common sense… It’s common sense that you’re supposed to protect. How can you — if you know a vote is fraudulent, right? — how can you pass on a fraudulent vote to Congress?” The vote was not “fraudulent.”
LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Nine lawyers allied with former President Donald Trump were ordered Thursday to pay Detroit and Michigan a total of $175,000 in sanctions for abusing the court system with a sham lawsuit challenging the 2020 election results.
— Nick Riccardi (@NickRiccardi) December 3, 2021
