Federal Judges will allow several people who were charged for participating in the January 6 riots to attend Trump's inauguration.
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The New York Post reports that "nearly two dozen people" who faced criminal charges for incidents around the infamous January 6 riots will be back in the Capitol this weekend. Federal judges approved several defendants' requests. The outlet reveals that at least 20 persons who were charged or convicted surrounding the riots have requested permission to attend. Of those, at least 11 are allowed to participate in the inauguration celebrations.
According to the New York Post, Magistrate Judge Zia Faruqui is allowing Deborah Lynn Lee to attend the inauguration. The judge said, "While the Court is tasked with predicting the future, this is not 'Minority Report.' There has to be credible evidence of future danger to justify related release conditions."
It is interesting that the judge cites The Minority Report movie. In the film, there's a police program that tracks pre-crimes and arrests suspects for crimes they will commit in the future, even if they haven't done anything by the time authorities catch them. According to WVIA, authorities cleared Lee of 'obstruction of an official proceeding and aiding and abetting' last year. She still faces several misdemeanors, including entering or remaining in a restricted building or grounds.
Prosecutors Argue Allowing Persons Convicted Surrounding January 6 To Attend Is A Security Risk
Per a report by the New York Times, Trump intends to pardon many persons charged with participating in the riots. The outlet mentions several people who have requested to attend despite previous events.
Federal prosecutors have tried to stop one Mr. Moores from attending the inauguration. They say the event effectively allows them to "return to the scene of the crime." However, Judge John D. Bates disagreed with this assessment, saying:
"The nature of the inauguration is wholly different from the last event the Moores attended that involved the transition of power. Put simply, the inauguration will involve a crowd largely supporting the peaceful transition of power, not opposing it.
According to the New York Post, prosecutors allege that allowing those convicted would create an unsafe situation around the Capitol. They also note that the crowds will already stretch security at the event. One prosecutor reportedly said, "What's past is prologue, and the defendants could easily find themselves in another situation where they engage in mob violence."
The outlet explains that authorities charged more than 1500 people with offenses related to events on January 6.
