U.S. begins dropping Jan. 6 obstruction charges for some Proud Boys, others
www.washingtonpost.com
The Supreme Court’s June ruling narrowing use of an obstruction charge for Jan. 6 defendants is leading to misdemeanor plea deals for some Capitol riot defendants.
  • Nougat@fedia.io
    931·
    4 months ago

    Federal prosecutors have begun moving to drop charges accusing Jan. 6 defendants of obstructing Congress’s confirmation of the 2020 presidential election results, offering new plea deals after the Supreme Court last month restricted the government’s use of that count, according to court filings.

    Let’s be perfectly clear here: prosecutors are offering new plea deals so that they can get any conviction on these cases, because SCOTUS threw a wrench in the works. If the charges just stood as they were, there’s a fair chance that the defendants would be acquitted based on the SCOTUS ruling. And the charges aren’t just being “dropped,” as the headline states; they’re being offered new plea deals.

    My own first reaction was “great, those assholes letting people off,” thinking about the prosecutors. Then I actually read the article for fifteen seconds. The prosecutors aren’t the assholes. SCOTUS is the assholes.

      • Nougat@fedia.io
        213·
        4 months ago

        My own first reaction was “great, those assholes letting people off,” thinking about the prosecutors.

        If I had that reaction, other people did, too. I felt it was important to clarify.

    • azimir
      11·
      4 months ago

      It’s only a crime if you succeed according to the SCOTUS. If you fail it’s no harm no foul.

  • JaymesRS@literature.cafeEnglish
    6·
    4 months ago

    I was reading somewhere that this really only affects a tiny number of people because there were other charges that they chose not to charge some of them with and now can use that instead, and this was only one charge amongst many that will keep others that were already charged in jail. I was really surprised when I learned about that that. This isn’t a situation where a bunch are going to get out now because of this.

    Edit: this wasn’t it, but is a has a portion of the details. https://www.npr.org/2024/06/28/nx-s1-5022883/supreme-court-hands-a-victory-to-some-january-6-defendants