Cap “Florida for Trump” On his head and jacket in the colors of the American flag, Robert Scott Palmer, 54, threw boards, a fire extinguisher and other objects at the police during the assault on the Capitol on January 6. He was sentenced, Friday, December 17, to five years in prison. It is the heaviest sentence handed down so far in the multiple proceedings opened following January 6.
That day, this supporter of Donald Trump had tried to enter the emblematic building of American democracy. Pushed back by the pepper spray used by security, he continued to throw all kinds of projectiles at the police, until he was hit by a rubber bullet.
Federal Judge Tanya Chutkan has rejected his handwritten apology, in which he claims he was duped by the former president, whom he calls “Tyrannical. “I realized that we had been lied to”, he wrote, referring to supporters of President Trump.
But the prosecution pointed out that after these convictions recorded in October, Robert Scott Palmer had defended his action that day, while the description of an online pot launched to support him blamed the violence on the police.
“Sabotaging a democratic election”
“Mr. Palmer knowingly joined a group of rioters with the specific intention of interfering in the national electoral process”, recalled the prosecution in a document intended for the judges. “Mr. Palmer’s violence was intended to further his political goal: to sabotage a democratic election and the peaceful transition of power”, added the prosecution.
On January 6, thousands of supporters of Donald Trump rushed to Congress where they had entered by force to prevent the American elected officials from certifying the victory of Joe Biden in the presidential election.
So far, the heaviest sentence for these events had been 41 months in prison – just over three years – for two men convicted of obstructing process. More than 700 people are being prosecuted as a result of the attack, most of them for minor offenses, such as unauthorized entry into the Capitol.
But several dozen of them are also targeted by more serious prosecutions, accused in particular of assault, use of lethal weapon and criminal conspiracy.