Thread by @MacFarlaneNews

STANDBY: Two high-level Jan 6 defendants are in court rt now seeking looser release conditions til trial

Alex Harkrider & Ryan Nichols of TX are accused of assaulting police. Just pleaded NOT GUILTY to superseding indictment

Allegedly equipped w/ gear, bullhorn, baton on 1/6

Nichols wants to be released from DC jail. Attorney will argue: "Mr. Nichols is held in high esteem by both the January Sixth detainees & the prison guards at the DC jail where he has languished in horrific conditions..."

(reminder Jan 6 inmates are in separate wing)

Nichols is a military veterans, argues he's a flight risk and -- in court motion ahead of hearing -- argues he was concerned about violence from BLM and Antifa

Nichols argues he brought a crowbar "in case of emergency"

Prosecutors allege Nichols posted this on Facebook with picture at US Capitol, "Patriots stood their ground today! We aren’t done yet, either! You want to steal our election, and not hear us in court? Good! Now
you’ll hear our civil unrest!”

Nichols has provided videos to court to be shown in this hearing. Standby for that

Prosecutors have already previewed their argument to hold Nichols in jail, saying Nichols court motion "..is littered with unsupported and irrelevant allegations that this Court should reject"

This hearing has several important components

Nichols has been in pre-trial jail for 11 months, and trial dates in 1/6 cases are fluid & tenuous. Is judge moved because of that?

And Nichols has some videos ready to show his argument could be... dynamic

Meanwhile, this hearing continues. High-level Jan 6 defendant Ryan Nichols' lawyer acknowledges Nichols brought crow bar and tactical vest, .but says "none of these actions speak" of planning. He argues Nichols didn't use his military training to plan or coordinate an attack

Nichols' defense concludes lengthy argument saying Nichols wants to be home with the kids for the holiday

And... updating prior post .. it appears the FEDS are the ones who'll be showing videos as they argue to hold Nichols in jail

Prosecutor tells judge Nichols assaulted officer, riled up crowd and sent message ahead of Jan 6 saying there was a need "to take back the country by force"

Then prosecutor says Nichols sent link showing a picture of body armor to purchase on 1/1/21

Prosecutors say Nichols made clear he'd use violence to obstruct the 1/6 proceedings and was "excited about that prospect"

Feds say Nichols enemy wasn't BLM or Antifa, but was the United States of America

Feds say Nichols posted on Facebook on Jan 6, 2021 that he was "hunting pedo politicians"

Feds say Nichols' crow bar was a "weapon" and called the people in the Capitol an "enemy" on Jan 5, 2021, predicting "war" was coming next day

Prosecutors are showing video allegedly recorded of Ryan Nichols on Jan 6

In video, voice yells "There are millions of Trump supporters... don't let them lie to you. Don't listen to the media. They're lying"

Prosecutor says he's showing another video of Nichols. In video, voice is heard "I'm hearing Pence just caved... I'm hearing reports Pence caved. If Pence caved, we're going to drag motherf*** through the streets"

In video being shown in court right now, a voice is heard yelling about politicians who'd vote in favor of Biden election on Jan 6:

"We're going to drag your f**** a*** through the streets"

"You want to take it from us. Motherf*** we're going to take it from you"

In video, "if you're a patriot get on board, if not .. get out of my way. . Cuz I'm going to drag your *** through the streets"

About Pence, voice says "We'll drag your a** too"

This video in Ryan Nichols detention hearing features a loud, vulgar screaming threat at VP Pence

Prosecutor slams Nichols claim that he was "defending others" at Capitol on Jan 6

"No evidence" of that, per prosecutor, Nichols was instead "shouting at the officers"

Prosecutors are now showing a particularly vulgar video in which the yelling voice is claiming a "16 y/o was shot and killed" in Capitiol... and chastising other veterans for not joining the mob on Jan 6

"I needed you today", the voice yells at vets who weren't in mob on 1/6

The video being shown in hearing over whether to continue holding Jan 6 defendant Ryan Nichols in pretrial jail includes a yelling voice from Jan 6 saying "the real enemy is in the Capitol" and yelling about Trump's Twitter account being suspended

MORE FROM VIDEO:

"I'm calling for violence. I will be violent"

"I've been peaceful and my vote didn't count"

"We shut down the vote today because those coward ass politicians ran into the tunnels".. when mob arrived

Video from Jan 6 defendant Nichols hearing, "I've seen the last of you treasonous bastard politicians.... give me liberty or give me death.. I'm prepared to f*** die for this. I took an oath against all enemies foreign or domestic. But I plan to have others die first"

Prosecutor: "Hard to imagine a clearer picture of dangerousness" ... He wants Ryan Nichols held in jail til trial

Feds say Nichols would later delete evidence from home (including clothing caked with pepper spray) & instruct others to do the same

Feds say Nichols shaved his beard, left town and indicated on Facebook he'd "lay low"

Feds sat Nichols once shot an AR15 at low flying airplane, "Violence has a way of finding Mr. Nichols"

!! And we've reached the point of the hearing in which defense lawyer says Ryan Nichols "accepts Joe Biden is President"

Defense say if Trump tries to overturn a future election, Ryan Nichols will "stay home, open up a beer and change the TV channel"

"He's done with all that"

Add Ryan Nichols to the fast-growing list of Jan 6 defendants who've now argued they were "caught up in the moment"

His defense lawyer has used it multiple times arguing this afternoon for Nichols release from jail

Judge is giving very lengthy rationale as he prepares his opinion over whether to release Nichols pretrial. Standby

Judge is focused on the crowbar and bullhorn Nichols was carrying at Capitol. Judge says he’s not persuaded by Nichols’ claim he was given bullhorn and didn’t bring it himself. Judge says evidence shows Nichols was a leader on Jan 6, encouraging mob

Judge says Nichols “celebrated” what had happened on evening of Jan 6. “He wanted to punish” those who voted the wrong way on certifying electoral college count. Dozens were watching Nichols Facebook video as he celebrated that night, per judge

Judge says Nichols was playing “de facto” leadership role on Jan 6 and discussed future violence in video after the riot. Judge acknowledges Nichols has served 11 months hard time pretrial, but says that “doesn’t mean he’s not a danger”

ALERT: Judge will order Nichols to remain in jail pending trial. “It’s unfortunate he’s incarcerated for so long,” judge adds. And says he’ll try to get trial date by Spring. But cites complication of COVID on court