Law & Crime reports:
Surprising a federal judge with her 11th hour decision to testify, transgender Oath Keeper Jessica Watkins told jurors about the bullying and abandonment she faced over her identity. When her secret got out, Watkins said, she was shunned by her parents, went “AWOL” from the Army, and ultimately found a homecoming both with her family and a paramilitary group whose leadership is now on trial for seditious conspiracy.
Watkins received an “other than honorable” discharge from the U.S. Army when she absented herself without leave to Alaska. She had lived and presented as a man during the time of her service, and she said a member of her unit learned about her identity when he borrowed her laptop. “I know who you are, faggot,” she recounted the soldier saying, imitating the man pointing his finger.
Read the full article. The jury was then shown video of Watkins herself calling members of the Capitol Police “faggots,” which she attributed to deeply ingrained self-loathing. Last February, Watkins sought pre-trial release, saying that she feared her treatment by fellow prisoners. Watkins in the past has threatened “class action” lawsuits against critics of the Oath Keepers.
Transgender Oath Keeper Tells Jury Bullying Sent Her ‘AWOL’ from Army, Before ‘Steady Diet’ of Alex Jones Drove Her to the Militiahttps://t.co/IyeA6OXp3O
— Law & Crime (@lawcrimenews) November 16, 2022
Jessica Watkins, one of five members of the extremist group Oath Keepers on trial in relation to the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol, unexpectedly took the stand Wednesday to express remorse for her participation in the events of that day.https://t.co/cnyGukgUnI
— USA TODAY (@USATODAY) November 16, 2022
Defendant Jessica Watkins testified there was no violence at the Capitol as the Oath Keepers were making their way up to the the building. She testified that the violence must have happened “like 10 minutes before we got there.” Absurd.
— Glenn Kirschner (@glennkirschner2) November 16, 2022
More: Audio from Oath Keeper Jessica Watkins’ phone captures members of the militia saying although Trump told them not to harm Capitol Police, he *didn’t* tell them not to harm members of Congress. #Jan6thHearings pic.twitter.com/3Sw5JNciyP
— Caroline Orr Bueno, Ph.D (@RVAwonk) July 22, 2022