A federal appeals court has upheld the conviction and 10-year prison sentence of retired New York Police Department officer Thomas Webster for assaulting a police officer during the January 6, 2021, Capitol siege. Webster had argued that the jury in Washington, D.C., was biased against him, but the court found no evidence to support this claim. Webster, a 20-year NYPD veteran, was convicted of assaulting Metropolitan Police Department officer Noah Rathbun with a flagpole during the riot.
Webster had driven from his home near Goshen, New York, to attend then-President Donald Trump’s “Stop the Steal” rally near the White House on January 6. He was wearing a bulletproof vest and carrying a Marine Corps flag on a metal pole when he joined the mob that stormed the Capitol. Despite Webster’s claims of self-defense, the jury convicted him on all six counts in his indictment, including assaulting Rathbun with a dangerous weapon.
The appellate court panel that upheld Webster’s conviction was nominated by Trump, but they found no evidence that the jury pool in Washington was biased against him. The ruling stated that the political inclinations of the population do not impact an individual’s ability to serve impartially on a jury for a criminal case. Webster’s 10-year prison sentence is one of the longest among Capitol riot cases, as he was the first defendant to be tried on an assault charge and the first to present a self-defense argument.
According to court records, over 850 people have been sentenced for Capitol riot convictions, with only 10 receiving longer prison sentences than Webster. The panel rejected Webster’s argument that his sentence was “substantively unreasonable” compared to other riot defendants. Despite his claims of bias and unfair treatment, the court upheld Webster’s conviction and sentence, emphasizing the seriousness of his actions during the violent insurrection at the Capitol.
The case highlights the ongoing legal battles and consequences faced by individuals involved in the January 6 Capitol siege. Webster’s conviction and lengthy prison sentence serve as a warning to others who participated in the violent attack on the seat of American democracy. As the legal process continues for those charged in connection with the riot, the courts are holding individuals accountable for their actions and the harm caused during that fateful day in U.S. history.
As the nation grapples with the aftermath of the Capitol riot and seeks justice for those responsible, the case of Thomas Webster serves as a pivotal example of the legal consequences that individuals may face for their actions. The courts remain steadfast in upholding the rule of law and ensuring that those involved in the violent insurrection are held accountable for their roles in the unprecedented attack on the Capitol.
