Appeals Court Upholds Obstruction Charge For Rioters

NBC News reports:

A federal appeals court panel has affirmed the government’s use of an obstruction charge used against hundreds of defendants arrested in connection with the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, though the complex opinion appears likely to result in additional litigation and leaves questions about the future of the use of the statute.

A three-judge panel, on a 2-1 vote, upheld the use of the obstruction of an official proceeding charge against defendants who assaulted law enforcement during the Capitol attack. A lower court judge, Trump appointee U.S. District Court Judge Carl Nichols, had previously tossed the charge, a decision the appeals court reversed.

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Federal appeals court panel affirms the government’s use of an obstruction charge used against hundreds of defendants arrested in connection with the Jan. 6 Capitol attack, though the opinion appears likely to result in additional litigation. https://t.co/zefGXTEirp

— NBC News (@NBCNews) April 7, 2023