Up to 1,200 People Could Still Face Charges for Jan. 6 Capitol Riots

Up to 1,200 People Could Still Face Charges for Jan. 6 Capitol Riots


Up to 1,200 people could still face charges for the Jan. 6 storming of the Capitol in Washington D.C. 

According to Bloomberg, a letter was sent to the D.C. court from the U.S. attorney in Washington. The letter details what Attorney General Merrick Garland refers to as “one of the largest, most complex, and most resource-intensive investigations in our history.” 

The letter, which is dated Oct. 28, from U.S. Attorney Matthew Graves to Chief Judge Beryl Howell estimated that an additional 700 to 1,200 defendants could be charged. 

“We expect the pace of bringing new cases will increase, in an orderly fashion, over the course of the next few months,” Graves wrote. He ended the letter by saying that the estimates could change as the office continues to monitor charging statistics and “evaluate changing resources and circumstances.”

Bloomberg also reported that Howell said the court “continues to manage its caseload and trial calendar efficiently, notwithstanding the delays occasioned by the pandemic.”

“So far, the court has been able to manage the increased criminal caseload well,” Howell said. “Should a ‘surge’ of filings occur at a later date, the Court would assess what additional steps, if any, it should take.” 

More than 500 people have pleaded guilty and more than 50 have been convicted at trial, according to the U.S. attorney’s office. 

On Jan. 6, 2021, a mob of Donald Trump‘s supporters attacked the United States Capitol Building. The mob aimed to keep Trump in power by preventing a joint session of congress from counting electoral college votes after the victory of President-elect Joe Biden. 

Trump, who claimed that the election was stolen by Democrats, encouraged thousands of his supporters who gathered in Washington, D.C.  Trump didn’t even send National Guard to quell the Jan. 6 riot. 

Kevin Seefried, who was seen holding a Confederate flag at the Jan. 6 riots, was sentenced to a three-year prison sentence.


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