2023-08-31 22:58:57
A leader of the American far-right group Proud Boys was sentenced to 17 years in prison on Thursday for the assault on the Capitol, the sanctuary of American democracy, on January 6, 2021 in Washington.
Prosecutors had sought 33 years in prison for Joseph Biggs, a former soldier who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, for leading some 200 members of the Proud Boys to the Capitol, the seat of Congress in the United States, in an attempt to prevent certification of Democrat Joe Biden’s victory over incumbent Republican President Donald Trump.
A harsher sentence was expected
It is the second-heaviest sentence handed down by American justice in this case, but most legal commentators expected an even harsher sentence. Judge Timothy Kelly took into account the aggravating circumstances for acts of terrorism requested by the prosecutors, but underlined that he had set the sentence at 16 years less than the requisitions on the grounds that the defendant “had not had the intent to kill”.
The accused had previously expressed his regret, assuring that he was now disgusted with politics and any affiliation with a group. In May, he was convicted of six counts, including sedition, along with other Proud Boys leaders.
A date that “broken” the “tradition of peaceful transfer of power”
Another accused in this case, Zachary Rehl, against whom 30 years in prison were required, will know the quantum of his sentence later. Two more will follow on Friday, before group leader Enrique Tarrio on September 5. The five activists were also found guilty of other less serious charges, such as obstructing the work of Congress or destroying public property.
Prosecutor Jason McCullough argued in court about the seriousness of the Capitol assault and the need for deterrent sentences. “There is a reason why we will have to hold our breath during the next election,” he said, claiming that the attackers had “wanted to intimidate and terrify” all those who oppose them.
This day of January 6, 2021 “broke our tradition of the peaceful transfer of power, one of the most precious things we had as Americans”, abounded the judge, insisting that this time was over.
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