Eight Minnesotans in court for taking part in Jan. 6 insurrection
More than 600 people have been charged with taking park in the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol. They’re now moving through court proceedings, and some, like Jacob Chansley, also known as the QAnon Shaman, have been sentenced.
Eight Minnesotans are among the defendants. MPR News reporter Matt Sepic gave host Cathy Wurzer a rundown on who is involved and what’s happening.
One of those Minnesotans, Jordan Kenneth Stotts of Moorhead, pleaded guilty to one misdemeanor count of parading and has also been sentenced. After the Jan. 6 insurrection, Stotts posted on Facebook that the “siege” was meant "to strike fear” into Congress.
Two other Minnesotan defendants, Robert and Jonah Westbury of Lindstrom, appeared to receive support from Republican State Senator Mark Koran when he posted a link to a crowdfunding drive for their legal fees on his Facebook page.
Federal judges have been holding hearings for defendants across the country over Zoom. Many of the defendants have claimed that they’re victims of a tyrannical government and that the prosecutions are a setup.
Use the audio player above to listen to the full conversation.
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