A sixth person from Connecticut has been sentenced in connection with the U.S. Capitol breach on Jan. 6, 2021.
Richard Markey was sentenced to 30 months in prison and three years of supervised release for assaulting officers. He was also ordered to pay $2,000 in restitution, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.
The 40-year-old Wolcott man has been in federal custody since he pleaded guilty in August.
Surveillance video from the lower west tunnel showed Markey climbing on top of the crowd and lunging toward officers with what appears to be a police baton in his hand.
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He admitted as much when he pleaded guilty to one felony count of “assaulting, resisting or impeding certain officers using a dangerous weapon.”
Now, prosecutors have said Markey insisted that he never swung the baton at officers.
After losing his balance and the weapon, Markey could be seen striking at an officer’s shield with his hands. At one point, he grabbed onto the top of the tunnel and kicked out.
Investigations
When an officer attempted to strike him with a wooden pole, Markey grabbed the other end and struggled with the officer until it broke.
The entire interaction lasted about two minutes.
In paperwork filed ahead of sentencing, Markey’s attorney called the behavior “inexcusable” but said “there is no evidence that any officer suffered even minor injuries because of Mr. Markey’s actions.”
His attorney also included almost two dozen letters from family, friends and neighbors attesting to Markey's character and asking the judge for lenience.
To date, nearly 800 people have been sentenced to incarceration or home detention.
The question now has become whether any of those convictions will be overturned when Donald Trump takes office next month.
The president-elect has made it clear he intends to pardon at least some of the Jan. 6 defendants.
