A Maryland policeman was condemned Friday of civil situation, attacking cops and varied different charges after he tossed a smoke bomb at law enforcement officials all through theJan 6, 2021 Capitol strike.
Justin Lee, 26, took a smoke bomb from yet one more rioter, drew the pin, and tossed it in direction of Capitol police headquarters in a passage that hyperlinks to the Capitol.
UNITED STATE District Judge Trevor McFadden heard two days of trial testimony previous to discovering Lee responsible of two felonies and three offenses. During his assertion, Lee knowledgeable McFadden he was “trying to make a statement” concerning cops cruelty when he tossed the smoke bomb.
McFadden claimed he thought Lee mosted prone to the Capitol that day to interrupt Congress’ accreditation of President Joe Biden’s success over Donald Trump within the 2020 governmental political election.
An police officer that safeguarded the Capitol all through the strike testified at Lee’s trial that the smoke bomb made him actually really feel dizzy and like a “sitting duck.” The police officer claimed he dropped and wanted to run away as Lee tossed varied different gadgets proper into the passage.
“No police officer should have to endure these attacks and provocations,” McFadden claimed, per the AP.
Prosecutors claimed Lee likewise swung at varied different Trump advocates to enroll with the gang in surpassing cops on the West Plaza.
Six months after the strike in July 2021, Lee got here to be a Montgomery County policeman. After his apprehension in October, Lee was placed on maintain with out pay. The division knowledgeable the AP in a declaration that authorities will definitely be “moving ahead with termination procedures” since Lee has truly been based responsible.
Lee is about as much as be punished onNov 22.
