THREAD: We're reaching a new chapter in the prosecution of accused US Capitol Insurrectionists
And it's illustrated by the court filing Friday night from Robert Gieswein, who's accused of wearing riot gear, wielding a baseball bat on front lines & wielding Anti-Semitism too
In Gieswein's case (and many others) - the feds have sought extra time to proceed with the prosecution because of the tonnage of cases and evidence.
This week - for the first time - the Justice Dept indicated total arrests could top 500
But Gieswein's new court filing says he doesn't wanna wait for his case to be heard.
For a few reasons. He's been locked up for months - and doesn't wait to wait in jail much longer
Inmates at the DC Jail (it's "Central Treatment Facility") are isolated to their cells. DC jail officials tell me some inmates get their "rec time" at 2am.. due to COVID and court restrictions.
Gieswein cites the situation in the jail to argue for speedier process of his case
But the Justice Dept *is* navigating a tidal wave of evidence, discovery, tips and case filings.
210,000 tips, thousands of videos and a big pile of phones to search
They're getting extra help, but can they proceed more quickly in Gieswein *and* other cases, if requested?
The Justice Dept has until May 6 to respond to Gieswein's request. I'll keep watching it @nbcwashington
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Of the thousands of pages of court filings we've read from US Capitol Insurrection prosecutions .... one motion today is among the most interesting.
Chris Worrell of Florida, who suffers non-Hodgkins lymphoma wants to be released from jail. But........
Worrell said he's worried he'll die from COVID in the DC jail
DC's chief judge denied him. Among other reasons, judge cited the fact that Worrell wasn't wearing a mask amid the mob on Jan. 6.. and didn't seem terribly concerned about COVID or his health during the Insurrection
Today, Worrell appealed to DC Court of Appeals... and makes this striking argument:
Worrell argues *he* has a right to disregard the science about masks and COVID... but says the judge does NOT
THREAD: Accused Oath Keeper and Capitol Insurrectionist organizer Kelly Meggs wants to be released from jail, pending trial
But overnight, the feds told a judge Meggs hid the clothes worn at the Capitol on January 6th from federal agents. And can't be trusted
Prosecutors say Meggs hid some of the items he wore on January 6th before federal agents raided his house.
"This fact 'lessens' the reliability of Defendant Meggs complying with release conditions"
Ahhh.. but Meggs' defense lawyers say the feds simply "overlooked" some of the tactical gear and falsely claimed Meggs might have "destroyed" the items.
THREAD: *This* is a US Capitol Insurrection criminal case to watch
Jeffrey McKellop of Virginia... accused of wearing body armor, gas mask and punching a DC Police officer on Jan. 6
Let me walk you through the court filing his attorney submitted overnight, to get him released
McKellop served 22 years in the military, earning 3 bronze stars (he's one of a growing number of military-connected Insurrection defendants)
He says he only brought the body armor to protect his friends from "counter-protestors"
Yes he was carrying a flagpole during the riots... and yes he's accused of bludgeoning with it... but he says it does not "*appear* to be tipped with any sharp object"