Supreme Court makes it harder to charge Capitol rioters with obstruction

Supporters of former President Donald Trump protest outside of the Supreme Court on the second anniversary of the Jan. 6 assault on the U.S. Capitol, in Washington, Jan. 6, 2023.WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court on Friday made it harder to charge Capitol riot defendants with obstruction, a charge used in hundreds of prosecutions and also faced by former President Donald Trump.

Chief Justice John Roberts wrote the court’s opinion, joined by conservative Justices Samuel Alito, Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh and Clarence Thomas, and by liberal Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson. “January 6 was an unprecedented attack on the cornerstone of our system of government — the peaceful transfer of power from one administration to the next,” he said. “We will continue to use all available tools to hold accountable those criminally responsible for the January 6 attack on our democracy.”

Most lower court judges who have weighed in have allowed the charge to stand. Among them, U.S. District Judge Dabney Friedrich, a Trump appointee, wrote that “statutes often reach beyond the principal evil that animated them.”

Law Law Latest News, Law Law Headlines

Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.

Supreme Court makes it harder to charge Capitol riot defendants with obstruction, charge Trump facesMontgomery, Alabama
Source: ALNewsNetwork - 🏆 583. / 51 Read more »

Supreme Court makes it harder to charge Capitol riot defendants with obstruction, charge Trump facesThe Supreme Court made it harder to charge Capitol riot defendants with obstruction, a charge that also has been brought against former President Donald Trump.
Source: WGAL - 🏆 331. / 59 Read more »

Supreme Court makes it harder to charge Capitol riot defendants with obstruction, charge Trump facesThe Supreme Court made it harder to charge Capitol riot defendants with obstruction, a charge brought against ex-President Donald Trump.
Source: Mynorthwest - 🏆 438. / 53 Read more »

Supreme Court makes it harder to charge Capitol riot defendants with obstruction, charge Trump facesA mine collapsed at Gordon Moore Park athletic field in Alton around 8:30 a.m. Wednesday, 2024.
Source: dothaneagle - 🏆 337. / 59 Read more »

Supreme Court makes it harder to charge Jan. 6 Capitol rioters with obstructionThe justices ruled the charge must include proof that defendants tried to tamper with or destroy documents
Source: PennLive - 🏆 463. / 53 Read more »