Page 4 - aruba-today-20210109

A4 U.S. NEWS
Saturday 9 January 2021
State lawmaker charged after entering Capitol with rioters

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — said late Thursday that the
A West Virginia state law- delegate did not commit a
maker has been charged crime and doesn't plan to
with entering a restricted resign.
area of the U.S. Capitol af- No one in the office of West
ter he livestreamed himself Virginia Republican House
rushing into the building leader Roger Hanshaw re-
with a mob of President sponded to an email re-
Donald Trump's supporters. questing comment.
Ken Kohl, a top deputy In his now-deleted video,
federal prosecutor in Wash- widely shared online, Evans
ington, announced the is clamoring inside a jam-
charge against Republi- packed Capitol building
can state Del. Derrick Ev- doorway, trying with oth-
ans on a call in which he ers to push his way inside.
presented dozens of new He hollers along with other
charges against members Trump loyalists and fist-
of the crowd that violently bumps a law enforcement
stormed the Capitol on officer who let them in.
Wednesday. Evans' lawyer has said he
His lawyer, John Bryan, said was acting as an ama-
he hadn't seen the com- West Virginia House of Delegates member Derrick Evans, left, is given the oath of office Dec. 14, teur journalist recording
plaint against Evans and 2020, in the House chamber at the state Capitol in Charleston, W.Va. the day's events and that
couldn't comment. He Associated Press he was not involved in vio-
did not say if Evans had lence. After pushing into
been taken into custody, into custody. would require the state au- The legislation comes days the building, video shows
but television station WSAZ Legislators from at least thorities to investigate any after Republican state Evans milling around the
posted a video on Twitter seven other states traveled Tennessean participating in Rep. Terri Lynn Weaver de- Capitol Rotunda, where
showing FBI agents escort- to Washington, D.C., to Wednesday's events. scribed Wednesday night historic paintings depict the
ing the handcuffed law- back Trump and demon- The proposal from Demo- as "epic" after attending republic's founding, and
maker from a home. strate against the counting cratic state Rep. London the demonstrations. It's un- imploring others to not van-
"He's a fine man. And thank of electoral votes confirm- Lamar specifically clari- clear if Weaver entered the dalize artwork and busts.
you, Mr. Trump, for inviting ing Democrat Joe Biden's fies that any "seditious and Capitol. Some of the pieces were
a riot at the White House," victory. It's unknown if any treasonous acts" that took A growing number of Re- later vandalized.
a woman identifying her- other elected official joined place at the U.S. Capitol by publicans and Democrats "Our house!" Evans yells in-
self as Evans' grandmother the attack on the Capitol. an elected official would said they want to expel side Capitol halls. "I don't
told station reporters as her In Tennessee, legislation constitute grounds for im- Evans from the legislature know where we're going.
grandson was being taken was introduced Friday that mediate removal. if he does not resign. Bryan I'm following the crowd."q
Woman who wrongly accused Black teen is arrested, apologizes

NEW YORK (AP) — A wom- wasn't immediately clear In his video, an agitated
an who wrongly accused a what charges she faced. woman demands the teen-
Black teenager of stealing The office earlier said she ager's phone, claiming he
her phone and tackled him might be charged with re- stole it. A hotel manager
while being filmed at a New sisting arrest. tries to intervene. Keyon
York City hotel apologized The New York Police De- Harrold tells the woman to
but defended her actions partment flew detectives leave his son alone. Ghat-
in a television interview to California earlier Thurs- an confirmed Ponsetto is
conducted before she was day with a warrant for the woman in the video.
arrested in California. Ponsetto's arrest. The trip Security video later re-
"I consider myself to be su- followed days of intense leased by the NYPD shows
per sweet," Miya Ponsetto, media coverage of the Ponsetto frantically grab-
22, said in a "CBS This Morn- fracas at the hotel and de- bing at the teenager as
ing" interview that aired Fri- mands by the teen's family he tried to get away from
day. "I don't feel that that and activists that she face her through the hotel's front
is who I am as a person. I criminal charges. Ponset- door. She clutches him from
don't feel like this one mis- to's lawyer, Sharen Ghatan, behind, and both tumble
take does define me," she said in an interview before to the ground.
said. "But I do sincerely from the arrest that her client Ponsetto's missing phone
the bottom of my heart was "emotionally unwell" had actually been left in an
apologize that if I made and remorseful for her Dec. Uber and was returned by
the son feel as if I assaulted 26 conflict with 14-year-old the driver shortly afterward,
him or if I hurt his feelings or Keyon Harrold Jr. at Man- Keyon Harrold has said.
the father's feelings." hattan's Arlo Hotel. Ghatan In the CBS interview, Pon-
The interview was conduct- said the encounter was not setto said she had been
ed Thursday afternoon, racially motivated. approaching people exit-
hours before Ponsetto was The teen's father, jazz trum- ing the hotel, thinking she
jailed in Ventura County. peter Keyon Harrold, re- was doing her part as a
This booking photo provided by Ventura County Sheriff's Office A spokesperson for the corded the confrontation hotel manager reviewed
in California shows Miya Ponsetto. sheriff's office there said it and put the video online. video footage.q
Associated Press