A federal judge ruled on Wednesday that a former New Mexico government contractor, who alleged police let him into the Capitol during last year’s pro-Trump riots, was not guilty of four minor offenses, the first acquittal in connection with the extensive investigation into the attack.
During a two-day trial in the Federal District Court in Washington, the defendant, Matthew Martin, admitted to entering the Capitol on January 6, 2021, along with hundreds of other supporters of President Donald J. Trump. But he claimed he hadn’t broken the law because two Capitol police officers waved him in through a door.
Prosecutors argued that Mr Martin was aware that he had entered the building illegally as there were clear signs of the rioting all around him, including tear gas and alarms going off.
Judge Trevor N. McFadden ruled in favor of the defense, saying he found it plausible that Mr. Martin believed the police had let him in and thus had not knowingly entered the building inappropriately. Judge McFadden acquitted Mr Martin of four counts: entering and staying in a prohibited building; disorderly and disruptive behavior in a confined building; violent entry and disorderly conduct in a Capitol; and parading, demonstrating, or picketing in a Capitol.
Other judges are not bound by Judge McFadden’s analysis of Mr. Martin about the police. But in the wake of the acquittal, some defendants facing low charges who would otherwise have been pleaded guilty may feel encouraged to go to trial and test the government’s cases against them. More than 200 people have already committed crimes related to the riots.
The case of Mr. Martin, who once held top-secret security clearance as a private contractor for the Energy Department, was the third linked to the Capitol attack to go to trial.
In early March, a jury convicted Guy Wesley Reffitt, a member of a Texas militia group, of obstructing Congress’ certification of the 2020 presidential election by helping lead an anti-police march that resulted in the first violent break-in in the United States. building.
A few weeks later, during another non-jury trial, Judge McFadden found Couy Griffin, the founder of a group called Cowboys for Trump, guilty of trespassing during the riot, but not guilty of a second felony of disorderly conduct.
A former Virginia police officer, Thomas Robertson, is now also on trial in Washington. He is accused of obstructing election certification and interfering with law enforcement during a civil disorder.
