Sentencing hearing is now underway for Dona Bissey, an Indiana hairdresser with an interest in QAnon who entered the Capitol on Jan. 6.
One of her clients, Anna Morgan-Lloyd, was the first Jan. 6 defendant to be sentenced (she got probation).
One of her clients, Anna Morgan-Lloyd, was the first Jan. 6 defendant to be sentenced (she got probation).
The feds have asked for three years probation under these conditions: storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.usco… 
Bissey’s lawyers have asked for no more than 18 months probation.
Her lawyer said she had a "lack of understanding of what occurred that historic day” and was caught up in the moment.
Her lawyer said she had a "lack of understanding of what occurred that historic day” and was caught up in the moment.
When COVID-19 hit her hair salon, her lawyer says, Bissey "found comfort in a steady diet of cable news and Facebook-scrolling.” storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.usco…
Bissey will be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan. Last week, she sentenced a misdemeanor defendant to 45 days in jail: huffpost.com/entry/capitol-…
Prosecutor tells court that Bissey told FBI agents that God told her to go to the Capitol on Jan. 6.
Says Bissey is susceptible to “dangerous conspiracy theories” and has shown “a willingness to act.”
Says Bissey is susceptible to “dangerous conspiracy theories” and has shown “a willingness to act.”
Prosecutor: It’s one thing to sit in your basement consuming conspiracy theories, it’s another thing to storm the Capitol and disrupt the certification of an election.
Prosecutor: “She was a rioter, a member of an angry mob.”
It is important that she never forget the punishment she received and the consequences of her actions.
It is important that she never forget the punishment she received and the consequences of her actions.
Defense attorney now up, describes the conduct of Jan. 6 rioters as “wildly unpatriotic.” But her sentencing cannot be about Bissey's “strange” beliefs, defense argues.
Defense attorney: She’s a woman who made a mistake, and that mistake has cost here dearly, both emotionally and financially.
Defense sentencing filing included this example of the hate mail Bissey received:
Defense attorney says Bissey’s husband is now getting checked out in the ER but that she wanted to go ahead with the sentencing anyway.
Judge Tanya Chutkan says she views Bissey as an individual and has factored in the letters she received in Bissey’s support.
Judge Chutkan says this isn’t about Bissey’s beliefs. The case is about her actions. Chutkan said BIssey made decisions to continue at every step despite the chaos and violence around her.
Judge Chutkan says Bissey was bragging about her involvement in an attempted overthrow of the government.
Had there been no consequences for her actions, judge says, she might still be proud of her participation.
Questions whether Bissey is really remorseful.
Had there been no consequences for her actions, judge says, she might still be proud of her participation.
Questions whether Bissey is really remorseful.
Judge Chutkan, a former public defender, says that lots of criminal defendants have support from their communities: “Good people are capable of doing bad things.”
Judge Chutkan says she finds it “pretty ironic” that part of the argument for not locking up Bissey is that she could be impacted by COVID, given that she’s anti-vac and anti-mask.
It doesn’t make sense to factor in Bissey's decision to put herself at risk, judge says.
It doesn’t make sense to factor in Bissey's decision to put herself at risk, judge says.
Judge Chutkan: Her decision not to get vaccinated is her right, but it cannot be a reason why I give her a more lenient sentence.
Judge Chutkan: straight probation is not appropriate in this case.
“There must be consequences” for taking part in an effort to prevent a transfer of power.
“She bragged about being a part of the riot.”
“There must be consequences” for taking part in an effort to prevent a transfer of power.
“She bragged about being a part of the riot.”
Judge says she’s heard a lot about impact on Bissey’s life, but not about victims.
Judge: I haven’t heard a single word about what the people inside that Capitol suffered that day.
Judge: I haven’t heard a single word about what the people inside that Capitol suffered that day.
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