Thread by @MacFarlaneNews

THIS MORNING: Feds seek 46 months prison in Jan 6 case of Anthony Sargent, arguing he "twice shoved 2 officers away from the Capitol as they tried to retreat to safety.. twice threw a heavy object at a set of doors leading into the Capitol w/ the intent to break the doors glass"

Judge Dabney Friedrich is blistering the argument at sentencing by Jan 6 defendant Anthony Sargent, who pleaded guilty but claims he was trying to help endangered police when he threw rock at Capitol door and joined mob

(More)

Judge Friedrich says the claim is “laughable”… “I’m not buying it”

Judge says Sargent is not fully accepting responsibility, yet is claiming to be doing so

She says Sargent was not on an “altruistic” mission amid mob

Judge: “To say he broke glass to get inside (the Capitol) to help people…. I’m not buying that story at all”

Justice Dept argues Sargent was holding an officer who was being assaulted by crowd

Judge: “he threw a rock at high velocity at a Capitol door”

To say he was there to help people is “preposterous “

Defense: “it was a fluid situation and emotions were running high”

Defense says Sargent urged an officer to leave as mob attacked

Judge interjects: what gives Sargent the right to order police what to do?

After initially indicating he wouldn’t speak. Anthony Sargent addresses judge. And the back and forth is animated.

Standby

Sargent to judge about his crime on Jan. 6, “I wish I hadn’t done it. I’m not a violent person. I have massive respect for law enforcement”

Judge interjects …..

Judge counters Sargent saying “you say you have a tremendous amount of respect for law enforcement”…. yet you had to know there were police behind the Capitol doors as you threw a rock at it and approached

She says Sargent “at a minimum interfered” with police duties

Judge: “there’s still an inability” to admit responsibility.

“I’ve seen a lot of January 6 defendants who believe in 100% of their actions that day”

Judge presses Sargent again about why he threw a rock and called for a bike rack amid the mob

Sargent argues that he thought people might’ve been killing each other inside

Judge interjects: You say you have enormous respect for police, yet you thought they were killing innocent people?

Sargent responds: he thought “people were killing people and law enforcement”

Judge has called this claim “preposterous”

Justice Dept says he’s “whitewashing”

Judge Friedrich says there’s a “common thread” in Jan 6 cases and defendants

An “inability to see the other perspective”

Judge reads Sargent’s pre-Jan 6 texts and messages in which he predicts “Braveheart”-type defiance, says US is becoming “third world dump” and rattles off conspiracy theories

Judge says Sargent “has shown no sign of remorse until today”

“High degree of denial… even in the plea transcripts” in the case

Sargent, dressed in black suit with jet-black dress shirt, squeezes the bridge of his nose and grimaces as judge begins to read sentence

ALERT: Judge sentences Capitol riot defendant Anthony Sargent to 60 months in prison (5 years)

This isn’t common. Judge went well above Justice Dept recommendation