Thread by @innercitypress

OK - #insurrectionBlues case of US v. Tanios, in WV District, goes global: government says detain him so doesn't fly to Lebanon after allegedly assaulting Officer Brian Sicknick at the Capitol. Inner City Press will live tweet below - song: soundcloud.com/innercitypress…

Witness now in George Tanios' mother. She says, "There is war in Lebanon, I lost family, I want to come to US --"
Judge: Sorry to interrupt at this time, but (court reporter), can you understand?
Mrs. Tanios: I raised my family by the courthouse in New Brunswick

Mrs Tanios: I don't raise bad kids.
Q: What was your employment?
Mrs Tanios: I ran a small luncheon[nette] by the courthouse, Lebanese food.

Mrs Tanios is crying.
Judge, to defense lawyer: I don't mind if you ask leading questions.
Q: Did you come to Morgantown and run a restaurant here too?
Mrs. Tanios: Yes. But it is no longer there. I am back in New Jersey. I talk to George, but not about politics

Q: I have one more question that might upset you, but I have to ask. It was alleged that you said if George is released, you would get him out of the country?
Mrs. Tanios: Who said that? [crying] This is my country. God Bless United States.

Next witness: Amanda Plumley, George Tanios' partner, they have three kids together.
Q: Where did you meet
A: Though my old roommate, we met at his bar. [Pause, giggle.] We met at a bar. We have a son who is 4, and identical twins this past summer. He is fun.

Amanda Plumley: We run a sandwich shop, late night hours. Ghost kitchens. It's called Sandwich University. In June we moved to a bigger place because of our growing family.
A: Do you have guns?
Plumley: They are all gone now. To a registered gun owner

Next witness is Ms. Shadoe Lowers. "I am a friend and former employee of George, at his bar, 4th and Goal."
Q: Were you Amanda's roommate who introduced them?
Lowers: Yes... When there were college bar fights, he'd take care of it with bouncers, no violence himself

Next witness, last for the defense, his sister, calls George a jokester who worked too many hours, she'd tell him, take time for your family. She worked for him at a Morgantown convenience store.

Tanios' lawyer says he won't get a trial for a year, so they are prepared to take this to the DC Court of Appeals if necessary, says George was never in trouble before.
AUSA: We have shown video. The court should detain him.

Now judge reverses himself and allowed Tanios' lawyer to cross-examine Special Agent Palmertree, after Tanios' lawyer objected to not being allowed.
But the judge wants to say how the questions should be asked.
Judge: I am the decision-maker.

Q: What's the proof that the assault on Officer Sicknick was something Mr Tanios knew about?
Special Agent Palmertree: There's no way to know that.
Q: Did Tanios know that his co-defendant was going to use bear spray?
Special Agent Palmertree: All we have is video

Special Agent Palmertree: We were told Mr. Tanios carried the backpack and bought the bear spray.
Q: Is that what you told the Grand Jury?
AUSA: Objection!
Judge: Sustained.

AUSA: We know that Officer Sicknick told his supervisor that he had been sprayed. Mr. Tanios purchased the chemical spray. In his residence, they found the backpack. Two unused cans of bear spray and the "Sandwich U" uniform similar to the one he wore

AUSA: We have no doubt that his family loves him. But these ties were all in place when he committed these acts. Mr. Tanios coordinated a pre-meditated assault on these officers. We acknowledge he was not the one who sprayed, was not on the front line.

AUSA: We meant no disrespect to Mrs Tanios, but we believe there is a network for Mr. Tanios to evade these charges.
Tanios' lawyer: The Bail Reform Act requires Tanios' release. And we can see are short fragments of video that the government has chosen.

Tanios' lawyer: What do we really know? That that is George Tanios, that he was there. That is it. His mom has no idea where the unsubstantiated talk that he would flee came from. Without his passport, he could not flee.

AUSA Wagner: The grand jury indicted Mr. Tanios. We have his statements to the gun store owner, he told the owner that he was going to DC, to the Capitol. We ask that you detain him.

Judge: It's always a solemn moment. He has three kids, two twins. But I think the context of everything that happened is what informs me. We all know what happened on January 6.

Judge: There were no song of joy and peace, only hate and anger. I don't know what draws people to that. What causes you get dangerous sprays? This isn't a weekend visit to see the blossoms in DC.
[Things not looking good for Tanios]

Judge: Did you know what the spray was going to be used for? I can think of no good reason what it was going to be used for. You walk up to the Capitol, force yourself against law enforcement. Why not go home? It's frightening to me. It was a choice.

Judge: He handed what was sprayed to the sprayer. I can't accept anyone who will not respond to law enforcement in other than a peaceful way. I accept the government's evidence. There are people serving life sentences for one-time events.
[The needle is at 90%]

Judge: The problems is with the hearts and soul of men. I was shaken when I saw those things happening. This is the biggest fear we should have. For these reasons I am going to remand you to the custody of the Marshals. We are adjourned.
Defense: We will appeal