The leader of the far-right militia “Oath Keepers” has been convicted nearly two years after storming the US Capitol. After several days of deliberation Tuesday (local time), a jury in the US capital Washington found Stewart Rhodes, 57, guilty, among other things, of “seditional conspiracy” – an offense very rarely recognized in the judicial history of the country. .
Rhodes, along with co-defendants, was charged with conspiracy to use force to prevent the democratic transfer of power following the 2020 presidential election.
Difficult crime
Earlier this year, the US Justice Department filed charges against Rhodes and other participants in the attack on the Capitol. Among other things, they planned to travel to Washington in January 2021 and organized weapons, paramilitary equipment and training in combat techniques in advance. Several of the defendants had entered the Capitol themselves, while others had provided further coordination outside the seat of Congress and sometimes outside the city. A maximum penalty of up to 20 years in prison can be imposed for “inciting conspiracy”.
The crime of “incendiary conspiracy” is not easy to prove. To do this, the prosecution must prove that two or more people conspired to overthrow the US government or to use force to defy its authority. An example of this is the verdict passed in the 1990s against the mastermind behind the first attack on the World Trade Center in New York in 1993. About ten years ago the Justice Department last called on Christian fundamentalists of the ‘ Hutaree’ group for “seditious conspiracy”. However, a judge dismissed the lawsuit for lack of evidence.
Sentence not yet determined
Rhodes claimed at trial that he had no plans to attack the U.S. Capitol. In addition to the 57-year-old from the US state of Texas, a leading member of the “Oath Keepers” from Florida has now also been found guilty of “seditious conspiracy”. Three other defendants were not convicted of the politically explosive facts – but for other crimes such as obstructing official proceedings. Rhodes and the other convicts will be sentenced at a later date. There was no date for this yet.
“The Justice Department is determined to hold accountable those criminally responsible for the attack on our democracy on January 6, 2021,” Attorney General Merrick Garland, 70, said after the decision. However, Rhodes’ lawyers expressed disappointment at the verdict. “We believe we have presented a case which has shown through evidence and testimony that Mr Rhodes has not committed the crime of ‘seditional conspiracy’,” said one of his lawyers. “No evidence has been presented that there was a plan to attack the Capitol.”
Supporters of then-President Donald Trump (76) stormed the House of Parliament in Washington on January 6, 2021 to prevent the election victory of Democrat Joe Biden (80) in November 2020 from being confirmed. Five people were killed in the riots. The attack on the heart of American democracy shocked the country. Trump had previously incited his supporters in a speech. (SDA)