MORE: A number of road closures near Capitol Hill as police investigate a suspicious vehicle near SCOTUS:
- First St between Independence Ave SE and Constitution Ave NE
- Second St between East Capitol St and Constitution Ave NE
- East Capitol St between First and Second St NE
NEW: Our photographer has sent back a pic of the scene outside SCOTUS, where @CapitolPolice are investigating a suspicious vehicle. Several streets in the area are closed, but it hasn't affected work inside the court yet. #CapitolRiot@wusa9
More info from @CapitolPolice, who confirm there is a person inside the suspicious vehicle.
Alright, up next at 2 p.m. there's a plea hearing for James Bonet, of New York. He was indicted on six counts in connection w/ the #CapitolRiot, including the felony obstruction count that carries a maximum of 20 years in prison. @wusa9@EricFlackTV
The way Judge Sullivan asks defendants why they are pleading guilty inevitably confuses them. Has happened multiple times now in these hearings.
James Bonet will be pleading guilty to one count of entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds, which carries a maximum sentence of 1 year in prison. He's avoiding the felony obstruction charge against him with this deal. #CapitolRiot@wusa9@EricFlackTV
Lot of back-and-forth going on now in the hearing for Marine Major Christopher Warnagiris about whether surveillance video from inside the U.S. Capitol on January 6 should be designated "highly sensitive." #CapitolRiot
Warnagiris' attorney, @MarinaMedvin, suggests the government has been selectively releasing videos from January 6 when it's convenient to them, whereas defense attorneys have to jump through hoops.
Judge Friedman: "There's a reason why every camera in the Capitol, the contents of those cameras and where they're located, should not be shown to the world."
Finally for the day we have a hearing for white supremacist Timothy Hale-Cusanelli. The government would like to postpone his trial while they continue gathering evidence. He opposes that. It's scheduled at the moment to begin on 11/9. wusa9.com/article/news/n…#CapitolRiot@wusa9
Timothy Hale-Cusanelli's hearing is before U.S. District Judge Trevor McFadden. wusa9.com/article/news/n…
Judge McFadden is talking about all of the ongoing COVID-9 issues and restrictions with holding jury trials. Says the D.C. District Court is currently only picking juries on Mondays and Wednesdays right now.
Straka initially faced a felony count of impeding law enforcement during civil disorder, but that was downgraded last month to the single Class "A" misdemeanor. So we'll be looking to see what, if any, cooperation agreement he's agreed to. wusa9.com/article/news/n…
Straka is appearing for the first time before U.S. District Judge Dabney Friedrich. He'll have to be arraigned first on the superseding information (the one disorderly conduct charge) before he enters his plea.
Starting now in Judge Sullivan's court we have a plea hearing for Dominick Madden, a QAnon believer and NYC sanitation worker charged w/ 4 misdemeanor counts in the January 6 #CapitolRiot. @wusa9
"I was in the Capitol of the United States of America. I was there. That was me," Dominick Madden says in what I can only describe as exactly the accent you might expect a Brooklyn sanitation worker to have.
Capitol rioters keep trying to say things during their plea hearings before Judge Sullivan and he keeps talking them out of it... which is probably the best situation for them, but, you know, I'm interested in what they'd say.
At 2 p.m. we have a sentencing hearing for Andrew Ryan Bennett, a Maryland Proud Boy who pleaded guilty in July to one misdemeanor count. The DOJ is asking for him to serve 3 months of home confinement + 3 years of probation. wusa9.com/article/news/n…#CapitolRiot@wusa9
There's also a sentencing hearing at the same time for Danielle Doyle, of Oklahoma. Doyle pleaded to the same parading charge as Bennett. The DOJ is asking for her to serve 2 months of home confinement + 3 years of probation.
Ok, the sentencing hearing for Andrew Ryan Bennett is getting started in Judge James Boasberg's courtroom. DOJ is explaining the terms of the home confinement they are asking for. He would be able to continue working and leave home for medical appointments/legal obligations.