Thread by @MacFarlaneNews

STANDBY: Plea hearing begins shortly in unique US Capitol breach case of Lonnie Coffman, who's accused of having 11 Molotov cocktails & firearm in his red pickup truck on Capitol Hill on Jan 6

Coffman is already audible in hearing... and complaining about the medical conditions and care in the jail

Lawyers are scrambling to mute Coffman's audio connection

Coffman has been held in pretrial detention in the DC jail. He's appearing from jail.. it seems ... via video feed for today's plea hearing. But there are technical glitches

The judge's patience with the technology sounds like it's ..... thinning

Coffman says he’s not feeling great because jail guards used tear gas in or near Jan 6 unit today

Coffman is pleading guilty to possession of unregistered firearm and carrying pistol without a license. He’ll have to forfeit his gun and the Molotov cocktails

Coffman will remain in pretrial detention until sentencing. In the DC jail

Coffman says he’s on anti-depressants, arthritis meds, breathing meds (for COPD). Judge is questioning whether Coffman took pain meds recently. She’s trying to measure if Coffman is of right mind to enter the guilty plea. Judge: “Is your mind clear?”

Plea deal specifies Coffman parked truck with Molotov cocktails on 300 block of 1st St SE. and had set of guns in truck. Left truck at 910a and then went to Capitol. While carrying two loaded guns.

That’s an early arrival at Capitol on Jan 6

Can’t wait to hear what Coffman says about those Molotov cocktails when this case goes to sentencing in a few weeks

Coffman admits he left a 9mm handgun on front seat of his truck. And had machete, stun gun and the Molotov cocktails

Coffman claims Molotov cocktails were old and not destructive. Judge interjects that she won’t accept plea deal if Coffman makes that argument

Judge is suggesting Coffman speak again (privately) with his lawyer. She’s not accepting his guilty plea if Coffman is going to deny the offense. The Molotov cocktails are “destructive devices” according to plea deal. And Coffman just spent time minimizing them.

Judge asks Coffman if he put gasoline, lighter, rags in the jars before coming to DC. Coffman, "yes, your honor, I didn't plan any action with those things..... they had been in my truck for some time... I didn't plan on blowing nothing up"

Coffman is saying he'd kept 11 Molotov cocktails in the bed of his truck... for quite some time.

Coffman seems to be trying to have his cake and eat it to. He's cutting a deal that requires an acknowledgement that he had destructive Molotov cocktails, but also trying to minimize the significance of them. Judge isn't having it

Judge pins down Coffman. "When you put these together.. years ago.. you intended them.. to be a Molotov cocktail?"

Coffman: "Yes, your honor"

Issue seems to have been resolved. They're plowing ahead

Coffman acknowledges he was carrying *two* guns. Unregistered. On Jan 6. On Capitol Hill.

Another blow for those who claim Jan 6 didn't seem like an "armed insurrection"

Coffman admits he knew it was unlawful to make Molotov cocktail and that he was not registered to carry firearms in District of Columbia

Judge is going to accept plea deal

Maximum sentence for criminal charge that includes Molotov cocktails is 10 years.

Max sentence for criminal charge involving the gun (DC crime) is 5 years

Sentencing guidelines for count 1 (Molotov cocktails) for Lonnie Coffman:

37-46 months