Defendant in Capitol attack was previously convicted of manslaughter in Iraq

Edward Richmond originally faced a life sentence for unpremeditated murder, but his charges were reduced to involuntary manslaughter

A Louisiana man who was arrested for allegedly attacking police officers during the January 6 Capitol riot was previously convicted of manslaughter for killing a bound Iraqi civilian during Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Edward Richmond Jr, 40, has been charged with felony civil disorder, entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds with a deadly or dangerous weapon, and assaulting, resisting, or impeding police officers, according to the Department of Justice.

He was also charged with several misdemeanours, including disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds, engaging in physical violence inside a restricted building or grounds, and violent entry and disorderly conduct.

Richmond was arrested in Baton Rouge on Monday, reported WAFB.

A decade ago, Richmond faced charges that could have put him away for life, according to Politico’s Kyle Cheney.

In 2004, the then 20-year-old was convicted for shooting a handcuffed Iraqi civilian in the back of the head. His initial charges of unpremeditated murder would have landed him in prison for life, but the panel reduced his charge to voluntary manslaughter, according to the Associated Press.

Richmond was ultimately demoted to private, dishonourably discharged from the US Army, forced to forfeit all of his pay and allowances, and sentenced to three years in prison.

He claimed at the time that he saw the civilian, Muhamad Husain Kadir, "lunge" at his partner, and insisted he did not know Mr Kadir was handcuffed.

"It was a reaction," Richmond said at the time. "I fired in self-defense of another soldier, in which deadly force is authorized."

He eventually fell in with Donald Trump loyalists and was reportedly hired by an unknown individual to serve as their security during the then-president's "Stop the Steal" rally.

A tipster notified the FBI that they recognised Richmond in photos, and identified him as having been a former US soldier.

Edward Richmond Jr, 40, is circled in this photo taken in Washington DC on the day of the Capitol riot (US Department of Justice)

Richmond traveled to Washington DC from Ohio with a group of approximately nine others for the rally. When the Capitol riot was underway, Richmond allegedly attacked Capitol police officers and entered the building through the Lowest West Terrace entrance.

The Department of Justice noted that the man alleged to be Richmond was wearing goggles, a helmet, shoulder pads, and a Louisiana state flag patch on his vest.

The man alleged to be Richmond posed and was photographed with a group on the streets of Washington DC while wearing the same outfit and accessories. That photo was used by the DOJ to identify Richmond.

Body camera footage taken from police on the day of the attack shows Richmond allegedly beating law enforcement officers with a baton.

Richmond joins more than 1,265 people charged for participating in the Capitol riot.