First Capitol Rioter Convicted At Trial Demands Do-Over

Courthouse News Service reports:

The first Capitol rioter to go to trial is asking for a new trial less than two weeks after a jury unanimously convicted him of all five charges against him. Guy Reffitt, 49, of Bonham, Texas, was a member of the Texas Three Percenters who charged at police, with a gun holstered on his waist. His lawyer moved Monday for acquittal and a new trial, casting doubt on testimony from government witnesses like Reffitt’s son Jackson.

“Jackson Reffitt’s story has changed from he did not believe his dad would ever hurt him, to he took the threats seriously, and then to he’s pretty sure about what his dad said,” the filing states. Defense attorney William Welch goes on to say that Reffitt’s son has been “hyping his story on CNN, ‘Good Morning America’ and on his GoFundMe page has made Jackson Reffitt over $158,000.00.”

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Guy Reffitt, the first Capitol rioter to go to trial, is asking for a new trial less than two weeks after being convicted of charges stemming from the insurrection. @EmilyZantowNews @CourthouseNews https://t.co/BQwcji6TPf

— Sidebar (@SidebarCNS) March 22, 2022

In a series of court filings on Monday, defense attorney Bill Welch argued that the defendant, Guy Reffitt, may have been guilty of trespassing when he joined the mob that attacked the Capitol on January 6, 2021, but not of other, more serious crimes: https://t.co/nyJLL99LzJ

— HLN (@HLNTV) March 22, 2022