Thread by @ZoeTillman

Hello from Judge Carl Nichols' virtual courtroom, where sentencing is about to begin for Capitol rioter Jennifer Parks. Parks took a misdemeanor plea deal, the govt is asking for 1 month home detention + probation, Parks wants probation alone

Govt sentencing memo: s3.documentcloud.org/documents/2115…

Parks sentencing memo: s3.documentcloud.org/documents/2112…

Dial-in info for Nichols:
Toll Free Number: 877-873-8017
Access Code: 8692421

AUSA is up first, argues that Jennifer Parks (with her friend Esther Schwemmer, who has also pleaded guilty and is awaiting sentencing) saw lots of "red flags" but that didn't stop them from going inside the Capitol, incl. consoling an injured person who was exiting

Nichols asks AUSA why Parks deserves same sentence as Jessica Bustle, when Bustle had a criminal record and Parks doesn't and Bustle posted concerning things online. AUSA notes Jessica Bustle got 60 days home confinement and they're asking for 30 days for Parks

Nichols acknowledges the AUSA is correct, but pushes back and asks why Parks is more culpable than other misdemeanor defendants who received only probation. AUSA says govt is looking at specifics of what people saw/knew at the time they decided to go into the Capitol

AUSA Anita Eve notes Parks is from Leavenworth, Kansas, which Eve describes as a location with "federal property" — almost certainly a euphemism for the federal prison complex there — and would know you can't just go onto secured federal property

Parks' lawyer Maria Jacob is up, argues that the govt is overselling what Parks knew at the time about the chaos unfolding at the Capitol at the time that she went inside

Jacobs says that Parks was a "model citizen" before Jan. 6, argues that a period of home detention wouldn't serve any purpose and that 3 years of probation is excessive (they're asking for 1 year)

Jacobs argues against a fine, saying Parks doesn't independently have the means to pay and would need to get funds from her husband. Probation officer says they rec'd a fine because Parks had the means to travel to DC on Jan. 6, and the court can consider family assets

Parks declines to speak at length to the judge, she tells him she wants to rely on a statement she wrote because she's afraid she'll "lose it" if she speaks. She asks that he think about it "prayerfully"

AUSA disputes a statement from Parks' lawyer that she left as soon as she encountered an injured person, says the video evidence shows Parks consoled that person and then went inside the building and up a floor.

Nichols is taking a short break before announcing the sentence.

Nichols is back on the bench and going over the sentencing factors. He says that Parks seems to fall below the average in terms of culpability compared to other Capitol rioters, and that she's been remorseful and is unlikely to reoffend

Now: Judge Carl Nichols sentences Capitol rioter Jennifer Parks to 24 months probation (govt wanted 36 mos + 1 month home detention, Parks wanted 12 mos) + $500 restitution that was part of the plea deal + community service. No fine, no home detention.