Capitol riot: Lawyer for rioter who confronted police officer blames media and ‘crowd hysteria’
‘He got taken!’ an attorney for Doug Jensen, 41, told the judge
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.The lawyer for an accused Capitol rioter has blamed the news media and “crowd hysteria” for his client’s actions.
“He got taken!” an attorney for Doug Jensen, 41, told a judge on Thursday, according to NBC4’s Scott MacFarlane.
Mr Jensen, 41, was arrested by the FBI in Des Moines, Iowa a few days after the 6 January attack on the United States Capitol. Dramatic video footage showed him chasing Capitol Police OfficerEugene Goodman up a flight of stairs, leading a mob dangerously close to the Senate chamber before Mr Goodman lured them in a different direction.
On Thursday, Mr Jensen’s lawyer sought to have him released from jail, calling his client an “intelligent man” who was manipulated by misinformation online and in the news media. Somewhat incongruously, he also said Mr Jensen didn’t know where he was on the day of the riot.
“He thought he was at the White House,” the attorney said.
500 people have been arrested in Capitol riot cases. There could be hundreds more
‘What planet are these people on?’: Federal judge condemns Republicans for downplaying Capitol riot
US military chief links Capitol riot to ‘white rage’ and defends study of critical race theory
Oath Keeper pleads guilty to Capitol riot conspiracy charges
Pelosi to create committee on Capitol riot after Republicans blocked commission, reports say
The judge did not immediately rule on whether he would be released.
Mr Jensen was a believer in QAnon, a delusional conspiracy theory that Donald Trump was secretly battling a Democratic child sex trafficking ring. Mr Jensen’s lawyers have previously blamed that theory for his actions as well, saying he “fell victim” to “a pack of lies”.
On the day of the riot, Mr Jensen was wearing a black T-shirt emblazoned with a large Q and the phrase “Trust The Plan”, a reference to QAnon.
His older brother, William Routh, has also attributed his brother’s actions to his belief in the conspiracy theory.
“I feel like he had a lot of influence from the Internet that confused or obscured his views on certain things,” Mr Routh said in January. “When I talked to him, he thought that maybe this was Trump telling him what to do.”
More than 500 people have been arrested in connection to the 6 January attack, Attorney General Merrick Garland announced on Thursday.
“I assure the American people that the Department of Justice will continue to follow the facts in this case and charge what the evidence supports to hold all January 6th perpetrators accountable,” Mr Garland said in a statement.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments