Washington — In closing arguments Friday, prosecutors argued that Oath Keepers leader Stewart Rhodes and four of his subordinates had made the historic decision to oppose the peaceful transfer of power from Donald Trump to Joe Biden on Jan. 6, 2021, using "any means necessary," attempting to upend centuries of lawful presidential transitions.
The alleged conspiracy, she argued, was born of the defendants' "sense of entitlement that led to frustration, followed by rage and then violence." In a closing argument on Rhodes' behalf, defense attorney James Lee Bright said the government had not shown evidence of a "meeting of the minds" among the defendants in which they discussed overthrowing the government and storming the Capitol.Rakoczy told the jury the far-right group, charged with seditious conspiracy, was using the Capitol riot to further its mission to oppose the government.
Rakoczy argued on Friday his assertions were "patently absurd, telling the jury, "This wasn't rhetoric. This wasn't ranting and raving. This was deadly serious." The defendants, she argued, committed the alleged crimes, "in favor of force, violence, and an unyielding desire to have the election go their way," an effort that she said continued even beyond Jan. 6.
Bright said the Justice Department had not met its burden to prove beyond a reasonable doubt "the big three" crimes alleged: "No plan to storm the Capitol…No plan to breach the rotunda...No plan to stop the certification of the electors," he argued."You get to choose which way you look at it," he urged the jurors, but "lives are at stake. Human lives."
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