Oath Keeper Convicted, Another Acquitted in Jan. 6 Capitol Riot Trial
Donovan Ray Crowl, one of the rioters who stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, was convicted on Wednesday by a federal judge of conspiracy to obstruct the electoral college vote count and civil disorder. However, James D. Beeks, a stage actor and Michael Jackson impersonator, who was also charged with the same counts, was acquitted, becoming the first Oath Keeper to be cleared of all Jan. 6-related charges.
Beeks, 51, claimed that he was “duped” by the Oath Keepers and had no knowledge of their plan to disrupt the transfer of power to President Joe Biden. He said he had found the Oath Keepers online and made the “wrong choice” in deciding to join them on Jan. 6. Beeks had not met or spoken with any Oath Keepers before connecting with them that morning.
Crowl, on the other hand, is the latest member of the Oath Keepers to be convicted of crimes related to the attack on the Capitol. More than 20 Oath Keepers members and associates have either pleaded guilty or been convicted in connection with the riot. Oath Keepers founder Stewart Rhodes and 12 others were found guilty of felony charges in separate jury trials.
Both Crowl and Beeks were part of a group of 12 who marched up the east steps of the Capitol. Prosecutors argued that they entered the building with the intent to disrupt the certification of the election. However, defense attorneys claimed that there was reasonable doubt over their true intentions and argued that guilt by association was being used against them.
During the trial, Beeks maintained that he had no contact with the Oath Keepers before Jan. 6 and had not seen any of Rhodes’s public letters calling for action to maintain Trump as president. The judge found no evidence to suggest otherwise and acquitted Beeks.
In contrast, Crowl was found to have coordinated his travel with Oath Keepers, expressed an interest in committing violence on Jan. 6, and came prepared with combat gear. The judge concluded that Crowl understood the consequences of his actions to obstruct and impede the vote count.
Crowl’s sentencing is scheduled for Nov. 17, while Beeks is not convicted of anything related to entering the Capitol. Beeks, who is a Broadway actor, was identified by his Michael Jackson jacket, which helped federal agents locate him.
The verdicts in this trial highlight the complex legal challenges faced by prosecutors when trying to establish guilt in cases related to the Capitol riot. In this instance, the judge found that there was not enough evidence to prove Beeks’s involvement in the conspiracy.