Presented for comparison of application of equal justice under law in the Biden administration and the Washington, D.C. federal court system.
The Joe Biden appointed U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia struck a plea deal last year in the case of a man with a criminal history who shot and killed a father who was carrying an infant in a car seat while holding his other child’s hand on a D.C. neighborhood street one morning on 2022. Right before he was shot, the father reportedly put the car seat down and released his other child as the gunman approached. The killer and victim had reportedly met each other in prison. The killer was originally charged with first degree murder while armed and could have served life in prison. Instead he will serve 13 years in prison followed by five years of supervised release.
Back in January, a man who shot a father 11 times as he was walking his children to school in DC got a plea deal to voluntary manslaughter and a 13 year sentence from a DC judge.
DC judges gave Joe Biggs 17 years, Ethan Nordean 18 years, and Zachary Rehl 15 years for non-violent… pic.twitter.com/dPpUiQWbbf
— Greg Price (@greg_price11) September 2, 2023
The plea deal called for a guilty plea to manslaughter–even though the killer fired thirteen shots, hitting his victim eleven times included four in the head and neck with the rest hitting the upper body–and a sentence ranging from 10-and-a-half to 13 years in prison. A federal judge in D.C. signed off on the plea deal and sentence the killer to 13 years last January.
Video from the crime scene with partial audio of the shooting:
In contrast, three Proud Boys defendants found guilty in the January 6, 2021 Capitol riot were sentenced this past week to 15 years, 17 years and 18 years in prison, respectively. One other Proud Boy was sentenced to 10 years in prison. None were charged with manslaughter or anything close.
The Biden Justice Department is asking the D.C. federal court to sentence Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio to 33 years in prison even thoug he was not in D.C. the day of the riot. His sentencing was postponed to September 5 from last week.
Earlier this year Oath Keepers leader Stewart Rhodes was given 18 years in prison for J6 charges; a fellow Oath Keeper was given 12 years in prison–neither was charged with anything close to manslaughter.
Press release for manslaughter sentencing:
Department of Justice
U.S. Attorney’s Office
District of Columbia
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, January 25, 2023District of Columbia Man Sentenced to 13 Years in Prison for Killing Man in Northeast Washington
Victim Shot in Broad Daylight in the Presence of MinorsWASHINGTON – Jarell Harris, 28, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to a 13-year prison term for confronting and killing a man in broad daylight in Northeast Washington, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Robert J. Contee III, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Harris waived a preliminary hearing, and pleaded guilty in September 2022, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, to voluntary manslaughter while armed. The plea, which was contingent upon the Court’s approval, called for a 10 ½ to 13-year prison term, consistent with the Court’s voluntary sentencing guidelines. The Honorable Rainey R. Brandt accepted the plea and sentenced Harris accordingly. Following this conviction, Harris will be placed on five years of supervised release.
According to the government’s evidence, on March 4, 2022, at approximately 8:30 in the morning, Sedrick Miller was walking with two minor children and an adult in the 2300 block of 18th Street NE when Harris confronted Mr. Miller and shot at him 13 times. Mr. Miller, 42, suffered multiple gunshot wounds, including four gunshot wounds to the face and neck. He died a short time later.
Harris fled the scene after the shooting. He was arrested on May 6, 2022 and has been in custody ever since.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Contee commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also expressed appreciation for the work of those who handled the case at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Victim/Witness Advocates Jennifer Clark and Latrice Washington-Williams, and Forensic Interview Specialist Tracy Owusu. Finally, they acknowledged the efforts of Assistant U.S. Attorney Prava Palacharla, who investigated and prosecuted the matter.
Press releases for the Proud Boys sentencings:
Department of Justice
U.S. Attorney’s Office
District of Columbia
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, September 1, 2023Proud Boys Leaders Sentenced to Prison for Roles in Jan. 6 Capitol Breach
WASHINGTON – Two former leaders of the Proud Boys organization were sentenced today on multiple felony charges related to their roles in the breach of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. Their actions disrupted a joint session of the U.S. Congress that was in the process of ascertaining and counting the electoral votes necessary to certify the 2020 presidential election.
Ethan Nordean, 32, of Auburn, Washington, was sentenced to 18 years in prison and 36 months of supervised release.
Dominic Pezzola, 45, of Rochester, New York, was sentenced to 10 years in prison and 36 months of supervised release.
On May 4, 2023, a jury found Nordean, Pezzola, and three other co-defendants guilty of multiple felonies, including obstruction of an official proceeding and conspiracy to prevent members of Congress or federal officers from discharging their duties before and during the breach of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. Defendant Ethan Nordean was previously convicted of seditious conspiracy.
According to court documents and evidence presented during the trial, the Proud Boys organization had played a significant and often violent role in prior Washington, D.C. rallies in November and December 2020. In the aftermath of that violent conduct, Nordean and other co-defendants served as members and leaders of a special chapter of the Proud Boys known as the “Ministry of Self-Defense.”
Beginning after Dec. 19, 2020, Nordean, Pezzola, and other co-defendants conspired to prevent, hinder, and delay the certification of the Electoral College vote and to oppose by force the authority of the government of the United States.
In the days leading to January 6, Nordean and other leaders of the Ministry of Self-Defense hand-selected co-defendant Dominic Pezzola and others known as “rally boys” to participate in the attack on the Capitol that day. This group established a chain of command, chose a time and place for their attack, and recruited others who would follow their top-down leadership and who were prepared to engage in physical violence if necessary.
On January 6, Nordean, Pezzola, and others they led participated in every consequential breach at the Capitol. The defendants directed and mobilized a group of Proud Boys onto the Capitol grounds, leading to the dismantling of metal barricades, destruction of property, breaching of the Capitol building, and assaults on law enforcement.
The group began their assault that day at 10 a.m. when Nordean and others marched nearly 200 individuals away from speeches at the Ellipse directly toward the Capitol. They arrived at the First Street gate at 12:50 p.m. Nordean, Pezzola, and other co-defendants led their recruits up the First Street walkway, breaching multiple barricades and tearing down fencing.
Nearly an hour later, when law enforcement appeared to have successfully controlled the crowd by pushing them back, the men again pushed forward. Nordean, Pezzola, and others gathered at the base of the concrete stairs that led to the doors and windows of the Capitol with many of their co-conspirators and other men they had led to the Capitol. The group again surged toward the Capitol and overwhelmed officers who had been battling the crowd for nearly an hour. Pezzola smashed open a window allowing the first rioters to enter the Capitol at 2:11 p.m.
During the hearing, U.S. District Judge Timothy J. Kelly applied the enhancement for a federal crime of terrorism to the defendants convictions for destruction of government property.
This case was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, the Department of Justice National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section, and the Department of Justice Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section.
This case was investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office. The charges in the investigation are the result of significant cooperation between agents and staff across numerous FBI Field Offices and law enforcement agencies.
In the 31 months since Jan. 6, 2021, more than 1,106 individuals have been arrested in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including more than 350 individuals charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement.
Anyone with tips can call 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) or visit tips.fbi.gov.
Department of Justice
U.S. Attorney’s Office
District of Columbia
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, August 31, 2023Two Leaders of the Proud Boys Sentenced to Prison on Seditious Conspiracy and Other Charges Related to U.S. Capitol Breach
WASHINGTON – Two former leaders of the Proud Boys organization were sentenced today for seditious conspiracy and other charges related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. Their actions disrupted a joint session of the U.S. Congress that was in the process of ascertaining and counting the electoral votes necessary to certify the 2020 presidential election.
Joseph R. Biggs, 39, of Ormond Beach, Florida, was sentenced to 17 years in prison and 36 months of supervised release.
Zachary Rehl, 38, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to 15 years in prison and 36 months of supervised release.
A jury convicted Biggs and Rehl and three other co-defendants of multiple felonies, including seditious conspiracy and conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding on May 4, 2023, for their actions before and during the breach of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.
According to court documents and evidence presented during the trial, the Proud Boys organization played a significant and often violent role in Washington, D.C. rallies in November and December 2020. In the aftermath of that violent conduct, Biggs and Rehl served as members of a special chapter of the Proud Boys known as the “Ministry of Self Defense.”
Beginning after Dec. 19, 2020, Biggs and Rehl, all of whom were leaders or members of the Ministry of Self-Defense, conspired to prevent, hinder, and delay the certification of the Electoral College vote and to oppose by force the authority of the government of the United States.
In the days leading to January 6th, Biggs, Rehl, and co-defendants Henry “Enrique” Tarrio and Ethan Nordean hand-selected co-defendant Dominic Pezzola and others known as “rally boys” to participate in the attack on the Capitol that day. This group established a chain of command, chose a time and place for their attack, and intentionally recruited others who would follow their top-down leadership and who were prepared to engage in physical violence if necessary.
On January 6th, the group and the men they recruited and led participated in every consequential breach at the Capitol on January 6th. The group began their assault that day at 10:00 a.m. when Biggs, Rehl, and others marched an assembled group of nearly 200 individuals away from speeches at the Ellipse and directly toward the Capitol. They arrived at the First Street gate at 12:50 p.m., and Biggs led the crowd in chants of “Whose Capitol? Our Capitol!” and “Whose house? Our house!” Within minutes, Biggs, Rehl, and others led their recruits up the first street walkway, breaching multiple barricades and tearing down fencing. Biggs then declared, “we’ve gone through every barricade thus far.”
At about 1:30 p.m., when law enforcement appeared to have successfully controlled the crowd by pushing them back, the men again pushed forward with Biggs and other co-defendants leading the charge. Biggs and other co-defendants then gathered at the base of the concrete stairs that led to the doors and windows of the Capitol. The group again surged toward the Capitol and overwhelmed officers who had been battling the crowd for nearly an hour. Rehl sprayed an officer in the face. One co-defendant, Dominic Pezzola, smashed open a window, allowing the first rioters to enter the Capitol at 2:11 p.m., and Biggs entered close behind him with some of his men.
During the attack, Biggs posed with other Proud Boys on the west lawn of the Capitol for a celebratory video in which Biggs stated that “January 6 will be a day in infamy.” Rehl made social media posts calling January 6 a “historical day,” and told his mother that he was “so f**** proud” of the Proud Boys’ “raid of the capitol.”
Later, Biggs and Rehl made statements regarding their attack on the Capitol. On January 7th, Rehl told members of the Ministry of Self-Defense that he was “proud as f*** what we accomplished. Likewise, Biggs recorded a podcast-style interview in which he called January 6 a “warning shot” to the government that showed them “how weak they truly are” after being “b****-slapped . . . on their own home turf.” Biggs explained that “January 7th was warning shot to the government –look, we started this country this way and we’ll f*****’ save it this way.”
During the hearing, U.S. District Judge Timothy J. Kelly applied the enhancement for a federal crime of terrorism to the defendant’s final sentence.
This case was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, the Department of Justice National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section, and the Department of Justice Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section.
This case was investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office. The charges in the investigation are the result of significant cooperation between agents and staff across numerous FBI Field Offices and law enforcement agencies.
In the 31 months since Jan. 6, 2021, more than 1,106 individuals have been arrested in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including more than 350 individuals charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement.
Anyone with tips can call 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) or visit tips.fbi.gov.
Meanwhile, the Biden Justice Department and local Democrat prosecutors are trying to send President Trump to prison for the rest of his natural life for challenging the results of the 2020 presidential election in order to keep him from challenging Biden in the 2024 presidential election.
