Judge rules first Jan.6 Capitol riot acquittal

• Former government contractor Matthew Martin was the first Capitol riot case to be acquitted.
• Martin had thought that police waved him into the building and didn’t realize there was an ongoing riot.
• Washington, DC District Court Judge Trevor McFadden found Martin not guilty.

A Washington, DC judge ruled the first acquittal tied to the Capitol riot of Jan. 6.

US District Court Judge Trevor McFadden found former government contractor Matthew Martin from New Mexico not guilty for his alleged role in the Capitol attacks. His decision was made after a two-day bench trial.

Martin had thought police officers were waving him into the building. He claimed that he didn’t know he was breaking the law when he entered.

The judge found Martin’s claim to be “plausible” based on footage from the scene. Prosecutors also failed to prove his guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

McFadden explained, “People were streaming by and the officers made no attempt to stop the people.”

Martin faced four misdemeanor charges, including disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building.

During the trial, Martin said that he thought an officer let him in the lobby at around 3 p.m. on Jan. 6. He then claimed that he didn’t realize it was a riot, despite shooting footage of broken windows and an alarm going off.

Martin also reportedly described the riot as “magical” and said it looked like a “big block party.”

McFadden, who is an appointee of President Donald Trump, explained, “I do think the defendant reasonably believed the officers allowed him into the Capitol.” He then noted that the cops were “were grossly outnumbered at that point.”

The judge referred to the footage and said that Martin may have been given the impression because the officer was seen stepping back to allow people to enter, despite blocking their entrance moments before.

McFadden described Martin’s actions “about as minimal and not serious as I can imagine” among several of the Capitol riot defendants.

Martin was also the first Jan. 6 defendant to testify in his own defense.

Source: New York Post