Multiple federal judges have rejected attempts by defendants alleged to have been involved in the Jan. 6, 2021, breach of the U.S. Capitol to delay their cases amid arguments about how the incoming Trump administration could impact their cases.
U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper issued a brief order on Nov. 11 denying defendant Stephen Michael Baker’s request to vacate all dates and hearings in his case and set a status conference for after Trump’s inauguration.
Baker’s motion followed similar ones from defendants such as Anna Lichnowski and Christopher Carnell, whose respective judges also denied their motions. Defendants William Pope and Larry Brock have also filed motions but their court dockets haven’t shown any responsive orders from the judges assigned to their cases.
Trump has indicated that he would pardon at least some defendants, but it’s unclear to whom that would apply.
“We will treat them fairly,” Trump said in January of 2022. “And if it requires pardons, we will give them pardons, because they are being treated so unfairly.”
More recently, during an event in July, he was asked about individuals who allegedly assaulted police officers. Trump said he would pardon them “if they’re innocent.” He added that “they were convicted by a very tough system.”
The defendants face a myriad of charges, including assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers; disorderly or disruptive conduct; knowingly entering or remaining in any restricted building or grounds without lawful authority; and obstruction of an official proceeding.
According to data collected by NPR, more than 1,500 people have been charged in relation to Jan. 6, with nearly 1,000 pleading guilty. So far, more than 1,000 people have been sentenced with 64 receiving prison time.
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