Capitol rioter who put feet on Pelosi’s desk yells in court over pre-trial jailing: ‘It’s not fair!’
Richard Barnett, 60, of Arkansas faces federal charges including disorderly conduct in a capitol building
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Richard Barnett, an Arkansas man who gained notoriety for being pictured with his feet up on Nancy Pelosi's desk during the US Capitol riots, yelled in court during a virtual hearing on Thursday.
During the hearing, Judge Christopher Cooper of Federal District Court in Washington suggested the next court date for the man's case to be held on 4 May.
But this caused Barnett, 60, to erupt over the proceedings being extended for a longer period of time while he remained in jail.
“I’ve been here a long time ... another month ... It’s not fair,” Barnett was heard saying about the new court date, according toNBC4. “You’re letting everyone else out ... I need help,” he yelled.
Following the outburst, the judge called for a five-minute recess so Barnett would be able to speak to his lawyers. He is represented by the law firm of Metcalf & Metcalf, and the McBride law firm.
Judge Cooper then confirmed that the next hearing would be set for 4 May after court reconvened. But he told Mr Barnett that his lawyers could make a bail application on his behalf and then a separate hearing date could be scheduled.
Mr Barnett has been charged with aiding and abetting, disorderly conduct in a capitol building, parading or demonstrating in a capitol building, and theft of government property for his alleged actions on 6 January.
The man went viral on social media after photos circulated of him with his feet up on the House Speaker's desk as well as holding Ms Pelosi’s mail outside the US Capitol.
For the last few weeks, Mr Barnett has been in jail after he was arrested from his Arkansas home. He pleaded not guilty to all charges when first appearing in court and was being held without bond until his trial.
So far, about 300 people have been charged for their alleged roles in the Capitol riots that took place on 6 January following a pro-Donald Trump rally in Washington DC.
The FBI and Justice Department have utilised a variety of means including gathering social media posts, video footage, and pictures to help identify as many people as possible who were involved in the riots on that day.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments