Thread by @TomDreisbach

Good afternoon from virtual Washington, DC Superior Court!

More than 20 defendants who were arrested on misdemeanor charges on Jan. 6 (typically due to alleged curfew violations *outside* the Capitol) have a hearing today.

Observers of today's hearing may see one familiar face:

Bruce Castor, the attorney who represented Donald Trump at his second impeachment trial, is defending two people facing misdemeanor charges.

npr.org/2021/06/08/100…

Alright, the judge has arrived and we're about to get started.

Prosecutors announce that they plan to resolve 19 out of the 24 cases today.

There was quite a bit of back-and-forth in court today between defense counsel and prosecutors.

Defense attorneys say the government has not sent all of the required discovery materials.

Attorneys also frustrated that many people's phones have not been returned to them.

Prosecutors countered that the defense attorneys had ignored emails about providing discovery.

But, overall, Judge Juliet McKenna seemed to be more sympathetic to defense counsel, and ordered that at least search warrant application for people's phones be turned over soon.

In the end, three defendants entered deferred prosecution agreements. Under the terms - which include community service, not breaking the law, and avoiding DC except to confer with attorneys - the misdemeanor charges will be dismissed after 6 months.