Significant victory for justice, a federal judge in Washington, D.C., has delivered guilty verdicts for five individuals linked to the assault on the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2024. U.S. District Judge Jia Cobb found the defendants, including Ryan Samsel of Pennsylvania, guilty on multiple charges related to their alleged leadership in the initial breach and attack on the Capitol.
The prosecution accused Samsel and co-defendants James Grant, Paul Johnson, Stephen Randolph, and Jason Blythe of forcibly removing a police barricade as a mob of former President Donald Trump’s supporters stormed the Capitol grounds.
Capitol Police officer Caroline Edwards, who confronted the group, testified against the defendants. Edwards suffered severe injuries during the attack, vividly describing the chaotic scene as resembling a “war scene” during a June 2022 hearing before the House Jan. 6 select committee.
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Samsel and Randolph were found guilty of assaulting Edwards and various other charges, including civil disorder, while being acquitted on some counts. Blythe, Johnson, and Grant were found guilty of assaulting a different officer and other felonies but were acquitted of the assault on Edwards.
Sentencing for the five men is scheduled for June 13, with Edwards expected to speak at the hearing. Two defendants, Samsel and Grant, are currently in pretrial detention, while prosecutors seek the detention of the remaining three pending sentencings. Judge Cobb will review arguments on this matter in the coming week.
The Justice Department, in its prosecution, argued that despite police efforts to disperse the crowd and defend the Capitol, the defendants continued to fuel the riot by assaulting other officers. Samsel, in particular, faced allegations of grabbing a riot shield, tearing through scaffolding, throwing a pole at officers, and hurling a 2×4 plank at Metropolitan Police Department officers.
This landmark case marks one of the first waves of prosecutions following the January 6 attack. Former spokesperson for the Jan. 6 committee, Hannah Muldavin, emphasized the importance of accountability, stating, “All those involved in the attempt to overthrow our democracy, from Donald Trump to those who helped injure more than 140 police officers, must be held accountable for their actions.”
