Thursday, May 30, 2024

Court Finds Error in Jan. 6 Case, but Rules Against Convict

 A federal judge wrongly stopped a Jan. 6, 2021, defendant from striking a potential juror who admitted he could not view the defendant as presumptively innocent, a U.S. appeals court has found.

U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta denied a request from lawyers for Thomas Webster, who was later convicted on multiple counts, to strike a potential juror known as 1156 who had expressed support for President Joe Biden and said that support would put Mr. Webster at a disadvantage.

"A district court should never allow a juror to sit after he admits he cannot presume the defendant innocent. Full stop," Judge Millett added later.

Lawyers for Mr. Webster said in a brief to the circuit court that while the potential juror did not end up being part of the jury, the man should have been struck by Judge Mehta.

After explaining how Judge Mehta wrongly did not strike potential juror 1156, the circuit court panel denied the entire appeal.

Major Case Could Overturn Jan. 6 Charges Play Video "That single error in a lengthy voir dire process does not indict the process itself given the absence of any prejudice tied to the jurors who actually decided Webster's case," Judge Millett wrote.

As for the instructions to the jury, Mr. Webster said the judge erred in telling jurors that one can violate federal law prohibiting assaulting, resisting, opposing, impeding, intimidating, or interfering with federal officers only if the person made physical contact with the victim.

https://www.theepochtimes.com/us/court-finds-error-in-jan-6-case-but-rules-against-convict-5658308?utm_source=partner&utm_campaign=ZeroHedge&src_src=partner&src_cmp=ZeroHedge

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