WASHINGTON — A U.S. Army reservist who labored on a Navy base stormed the U.S. Capitol as a result of he needed to kick off a civil conflict and create “a clear slate,” a federal prosecutor mentioned Tuesday at the beginning of the New Jersey man’s trial.
However a lawyer for Timothy Hale-Cusanelli informed jurors that “groupthink” and a determined need “to be heard” drove him to observe a mob into the Capitol. Hale-Cusanelli should not have entered the constructing on Jan. 6, 2021, protection lawyer Jonathan Crisp acknowledged through the trial’s opening statements.
“However the query of why he was there may be what’s necessary,” Crisp added.
Hale-Cusanelli is charged with obstructing the joint session of Congress convened to certify President Joe Biden’s electoral victory. He is not charged with participating in any violence or property destruction that day.
Assistant U.S. Legal professional Kathryn Fifield performed a video that captured Hale-Cusanelli yelling profanities at law enforcement officials guarding the Capitol and screaming, “The revolution might be televised!”
“This was not a peaceable protest,” she mentioned.
In pretrial court docket filings, prosecutors introduced proof that coworkers described Hale-Cusanelli as a white supremacist, a Nazi sympathizer and a Holocaust denier who wore a Hitler-style mustache to work. On Hale-Cusanelli’s cellphone, investigators discovered photographs of him with the distinctive mustache together with pro-Nazi cartoons.
It is unclear from on-line court docket filings how a lot of that proof, if any, might be admissible at trial. In her opening statements, Fifield solely made a quick reference to Hale-Cusanelli having bigoted views about Jewish individuals.
Crisp has argued that any testimony about Hale-Cusanelli’s alleged statements about Jewish individuals and their function within the U.S. authorities can be “extremely prejudicial in nature with out substantive worth.”
Crisp mentioned Hale-Cusanelli believed then-President Donald Trump’s false claims a few stolen election. However the protection lawyer mentioned Hale-Cusanelli went to Washington, D.C., to peacefully protest, carrying a swimsuit whereas many others wore tactical gear.
Hale-Cusanelli’s trial is the fifth earlier than a jury and the seventh total for a Capitol riot case. The primary 4 juries unanimously convicted the riot defendants of all fees.
U.S. District Choose Trevor McFadden, who’s presiding over Hale-Cusanelli’s trial, determined two different Capitol riot instances after listening to testimony and not using a jury. After bench trials, McFadden acquitted one of many defendants of all fees and partially acquitted the opposite.
Greater than 800 individuals have been charged with Capitol riot-related crimes. Lots of then are army veterans. Hale-Cusanelli is amongst just a few who have been on energetic responsibility on the time of the riot.
Hale-Cusanelli was arrested lower than two weeks after the assault and has remained jailed since February 2021.
Earlier than his arrest, Hale-Cusanelli lived in Colts Neck, New Jersey, and labored there as a safety contractor at Naval Weapons Station Earle, the place he had a “secret” safety clearance. He additionally was a sergeant within the U.S. Army Reserves.
One Navy seaman mentioned that Hale-Cusanelli informed him “he would kill all of the Jews and eat them for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and he wouldn’t must season them as a result of the salt from their tears would make it flavorful sufficient,” in accordance with prosecutors. Different coworkers recalled Hale-Cusanelli making derogatory remarks about ladies, Black individuals and different minorities, prosecutors mentioned.
Jurors are anticipated to listen to testimony from a roommate who lived with Hale-Cusanelli on the bottom and recorded their dialog in regards to the riot.
Fifield mentioned Hale-Cusanelli informed his roommate that the riot felt like a civil conflict and hoped that it “would supply a clear slate.” He additionally paraphrased a Thomas Jefferson citation in saying that “the tree of liberty have to be refreshed with the blood of patriots and tyrants,” in accordance with the prosecutor.
Crisp mentioned Hale-Cusanelli was “filled with adrenaline and stupidity” when he returned to New Jersey and spoke to his roommate about his actions in Washington. The protection lawyer described him as a bombastic agitator inclined to creating “excessive statements to get consideration.”
Hale-Cusanelli was discharged from the Army Reserve and barred from the Navy base after his arrest.
Hale-Cusanelli is charged with 5 counts: obstruction of an official continuing, getting into or remaining in a restricted constructing or grounds, disorderly or harmful conduct in a restricted constructing or grounds, disorderly conduct in a Capitol constructing, and parading, demonstrating or picketing in a Capitol constructing. The obstruction cost is a felony. The remainder are misdemeanors.
Present Full Article
© Copyright 2022 Related Press. All rights reserved. This materials is probably not printed, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
