Jack Wade Whitton struck an officer with a metal crutch and dragged him head first and face down into the crowd on the Capitol's Lower West Terrace on January 6, 2021.
Though the justices appeared likely to reject Donald Trump’s absolute immunity claim, it seemed possible he could still benefit from a lengthy trial delay, possibly beyond November’s election.
The timing of the Supreme Court’s decision could be as important as the outcome, and it's not clear that the justices are headed for a quick resolution.
The case, to be argued Thursday, stems from Donald Trump’s attempts to have charges against him dismissed. Lower courts have found he cannot claim for actions that, prosecutors say, illegally sought to interfere with the election results.
The Supreme Court is hearing arguments this week with profound legal and political consequences: whether Donald Trump is immune from prosecution in a federal case charging him with plotting to overturn the results of the 2020 election.