Zachary Evetts, Autumn Hill, Savanna Batten, Elizabeth Soto and Meagan Morris were sentenced to 50 years in prison. Maricela Rueda, another demonstrator, was sentenced to 70 years in prison. Benjamin Song, who fired the gun at the police officer, was sentenced to 100 years in prison.

The sentences handed down on Tuesday were unusually long, said Barbara McQuade, a former federal prosecutor who served as the US attorney for the eastern district of Michigan during the Biden administration.

“Most often, judges will sentence defendants for separate counts concurrently. Here, it appears that the judge stacked the sentences for each count consecutively. I would have expected lengthy sentences here, more in the ballpark at 15 to 25 years, but nothing like 50 to 100 years,” she wrote in an email.

The punishment for the protesters exceeds the lengthiest prison sentences given out for the attack on the Capitol on January 6. Enrique Tarrio, the leader of the Proud Boys who was convicted of seditious conspiracy, was sentenced to 22 years in prison. Stewart Rhodes, the leader of the far-right group the Oath Keepers, was sentenced to 18 years in prison.

top 4 comments

sorted by: hot top controversial new old

[–] pageflight@piefed.social 28 points 5 days ago

A few of the protesters spontaneously broke off from the main group and vandalized cars in the parking lot, a guard shack, slashed the tires on a government van and broke a security camera. When a police officer arrived on the scene and drew his weapon, one of the activists fired an AR-15 from the woods, hitting the officer in the shoulder. The officer survived.

So, more than signs & chants, and way less than ICE agents murdering and breaking into homes without warrants. On the whole, the protesters sound like they were on the side of justice combatting government that's operating outside the law.

[–] halcyoncmdr@piefed.social 5 points 5 days ago (1 children)

Is this the one where the judge unilaterally decided to apply the terrorism aspect to the sentences, after the jury gave its verdict stuff. Which the jury was not informed would be a factor for sentencing?

Or is that yet another bullshit terrorism sentence from the fascist State?

[–] hypna@lemmy.world 3 points 5 days ago (1 children)

That was the UK

[–] halcyoncmdr@piefed.social 1 points 5 days ago

It's a sad day you can't tell the difference between UK and Texas courts anymore.