Capitol riot trial opens for Cowboys for Trump founder
WASHINGTON (AP) — An elected official from New Mexico went to trial with a judge — not a jury — set to decide if he is guilty of charges that he illegally entered the U.S. Capitol grounds on the day a pro-Trump mob disrupted the certification of Joe Biden's presidential election victory.
U.S. District Judge Trevor McFadden is scheduled to hear attorneys' closing arguments Tuesday for the case against Otero County Commissioner Couy Griffin, whose trial in Washington, D.C., is the second among the hundreds of people charged with federal crimes related to the Jan. 6, 2021, siege.
The judge heard testimony Monday from three government witnesses. Griffin's lawyer said he doesn't plan to call any defense witnesses.
The case against Griffin is unlike most of the Capitol riot prosecutions. He is one of the few riot defendants who isn't accused of entering the Capitol or engaging in any violent or destructive behavior. He claims he has been selectively prosecuted for his political views.
Read more: https://www.chron.com/news/article/Capitol-riot-trial-opens-for-Cowboys-for-Trump-17019457.php