Apr 11, 2022 - Politics & Policy

Jan. 6 rioter sentenced 45 days despite government seeking 3 months

Oriana González

Picture of rioters at the Capitol — Photo: Spencer Platt/Getty Images

A federal judge in D.C. Monday handed out a 45-day sentence to Jan. 6 defendant Paul Westover, according to a court document.

Driving the news: The Justice Department had argued during the trial that Westover "witnessed and celebrated the violence of that day," and urged the judge to sentence him to 90 days to "reflect the seriousness of the offense and promote respect for the law."

Westover was found to not have committed any violent acts, and his lawyers argued for 12 months of probation, saying his crimes were "not comparable" to others in the insurrection who had been violent.

The bottom line: "If people like you weren’t there, then maybe the people on the front lines wouldn’t have attacked officers, destroyed property, and generally committed felonies, that they wouldn’t have been emboldened because they had this troop at their back," said District Judge James Boasberg.

Context: Judges have handed out sentences as long as 46 and 63 months to people who committed violence toward police officers on Jan. 6.

Add Axios on Google

Jan. 6 rioter sentenced 45 days despite government seeking 3 months

What to read next