A Reuters tally found that least six of the 170 people charged in connection with the Capitol siege have tried to shift at least some of the blame onto Trump as they defend themselves in court or in the court of public opinion.
Other defendants to take this route include Jacob Chansley, also known as Jake Angeli, the “QAnon Shaman” who donned a horned headdress and face paint during the attack, and Dominic Pezzola, a member of the Proud Boys right-wing group who is accused of shattering a window in the Capitol with a stolen police shield so rioters could enter.
As impeachment managers prepare to argue that the former US president incited his supporters, evidence in criminal cases shows how many were motivated by his attacks on the election.
U.S. President Donald Trump looks on at the end of his speech during a rally to contest the certification of the 2020 U.S. presidential election results by the U.S. Congress, in Washington, U.S, January 6, 2021. Photo by Jim Bourg /Reuters
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Emanuel Jackson, a 20-year-old Washington area man, was caught on video using a metal bat to strike the protective shields wielded by police officers as they tried to fend off rioters storming the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6.
Jackson, awaiting trial in federal court on assault charges, is now adopting a novel legal defense: seeking to pin the blame on Donald Trump, citing the former president’s remarks at a “Stop the Steal” rally shortly before the Capitol siege.