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Saturday 4 February 2023
Sorry, not sorry: Some 1/6 rioters change tune after apology

Continued from Front time in his Jan. 6 case,
right-wing activist Brandon
The very first Jan. 6 defend- Straka donned an orange
ant to be sentenced apol- jumpsuit and red MAGA
ogized in court and then cap, sat in a fake jail cell
went on Fox News Channel and performatively wept
shortly after and seemed to for a procession of attend-
minimize the riot. Another ees at the Conservative Po-
defendant who called Jan. litical Action Conference
6 “horrifying and disgust- in Dallas last August. Rep.
ing” later donned an or- Marjorie Taylor Greene, a
ange jumpsuit to play the Georgia Republican, en-
part of a distraught prisoner tered the cage and em-
in a bizarre tribute to impris- braced Straka before they
oned Capitol rioters dur- appeared to pray togeth-
ing a conservative confer- er.
ence. Months earlier, with a pos-
Some defendants have sible jail term hanging over
drawn ire from judges or his head, Straka referred
the Justice Department to Jan. 6 as “nothing more
for their inconsistent com- than an incredibly shame-
ments. But there’s not much ful day that had absolutely
the legal system can do for no positive attributes what-
an adjudicated defend- soever.”
ant. And because some “I’m sorry that I was present
conservatives hold up Jan. In this image provided by the West Virginia Legislative Photography, Derrick Evans is shown during in any way at an event that
6 defendants as martyrs, his swearing-in ceremony to the West Virginia House of Delegates on Dec. 1, 2020, in Charleston, led people to feel afraid,
there’s a political and pos- W.Va. Associated Press that caused shame and
sibly financial incentive for embarrassment on our
them to change their tune. Shortly after, prosecutors have taken responsibility tenced her to probation. country, and that served
It could push judges to im- wrote to the judge about for their actions and ap- Shortly after, however, the absolutely no purpose oth-
pose stronger punishments several statements Evans pear genuinely sorry. In Indiana woman told Fox er than to further tear away
for rioters who haven’t yet made on a radio show and some Jan. 6 cases, judges News host Laura Ingraham at the already heartbreak-
made it to the end of their that were “inconsistent with have faulted defendants that people were “very po- ing divide in this country,”
criminal cases. Even be- the contrition” he showed for not appearing to show lite” during the riot and that he wrote in a letter to U.S.
fore Evans’ sentencing, the at sentencing. When asked true remorse even before she saw “relaxed” police District Judge Dabney Frie-
judge who heard his case whether he regretted his their punishment has been officers chatting with riot- drich, who sentenced him
began questioning the sin- actions, Evans said on the handed down. ers. to 36 months of probation.
cerity of rioters’ apologies show that he regretted the A lawyer for Trennis Evans Lamberth apparently An email seeking comment
after he felt duped by an- “situation” he was in. But III, who took a swig of whis- hasn’t forgotten about it. was sent to Straka, from Ne-
other defendant, saying he he said he was “never go- key in a congressional con- The judge wrote in court braska. He has said that the
was “all too familiar with ing to have regrets when it ference room during the papers that he hoped CPAC performance was
crocodile tears.” comes to standing up and riot, told the judge in court another defendant’s meant “to provoke a re-
In some cases, judges have doing what’s right.” papers that Evans was “sin- “change of heart” was action about political divi-
questioned whether they Evans said in an emailed cerely remorseful, and duly sincere because his hopes sion, human rights abuses &
should undo defendants’ statement to The Associat- contrite.” But after Evans were “dashed” in her case. more” and accused critics
convictions or plea deals ed Press that he still stands suggested at his November In another case, he wrote of trying to “criminalize art.”
after they made statements behind what he said in sentencing that Jan. 6 de- that he “often finds it diffi- Since his sentencing, the
in public that appeared to court. fendants were being treat- cult to ascertain the sincer- judge questioned whether
go against what they said “That was my message to ed unfairly — even though ity” of Jan. 6 defendants’ he wanted to withdraw
in court. On Friday, U.S. Dis- the judge. This is my mes- he said he condemned remorse. his guilty plea and said he
trict Judge Amit Mehta or- sage to the media. It’s time what happened that day “Many defendants ap- could be opening himself
dered an Illinois man con- to tell the real story of what — the judge said she didn’t pear sincere at sentencing, up to prosecution for mak-
victed this week to explain happened personally to believe he showed “full boasting of their purport- ing false statements be-
why the judge shouldn’t me that day,” he said. and genuine remorse.” edly deep shame, regret, cause of public comments
vacate his conviction af- Evans said he lost “almost Months after he was or- and desire to change and she said seemed to contra-
ter he agreed in court that everything” — including dered to serve 20 days in be law-abiding citizens,” dict things he said in court.
he participated in the riot his job as a state delegate jail, the Texas man traveled Lamberth wrote. “But this A written statement of of-
and then told a newspaper and time with his kids — be- to South Dakota to urge Court is all too familiar with fense that Straka agreed
he didn’t actually think he cause of his decision on state lawmakers to support crocodile tears.” was correct under his plea
committed the crimes with Jan. 6. “How could I not a resolution encouraging Morgan-Lloyd’s attorney deal says that he yelled
which he was charged. regret that?” he asked. “the humane and fair treat- has said that she believes “Take it! Take it!” while film-
Before being sentenced But he said he is “done be- ment” of Jan. 6 defend- her client was genuinely ing others trying to take a
last June to three months ing portrayed as a villain” ants. The resolution failed remorseful, was “played” police officer’s shield. Stra-
behind bars for a civil dis- when he is not, noting that by unanimous vote. by Ingraham and sent the ka later told Fox News host
order charge, Evans said he didn’t overrun any of- The first Jan. 6 defendant judge a letter after her TV Tucker Carlson that he told
he regrets his actions every ficers and was inside the to get her punishment, interview. When contacted his lawyer that he never
day and told Senior Judge Capitol for only 10 minutes. Anna Morgan-Lloyd, told by The Associated Press, made that comment. He
Royce Lamberth he is a When determining an ap- Lamberth that she was Morgan-Lloyd’s attorney suggested he admitted
“good person who unfortu- propriate sentence, judges ashamed of the “savage said the woman would not doing so because he was
nately was caught up in a generally take into ac- display of violence” at the comment. under pressure to take a
moment.” count whether defendants Capitol before he sen- After he dodged prison deal.q