On Jan. 6, 2021, as the Capitol building in Washington, D.C., was under siege from a cast of Qanon characters and predominantly misguided white-wing extremists, images emerged showing a gentleman lounging about House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s office. He posed for photos while sitting in the speaker’s chair, feet up on the desk, and ended the adventure by stealing a piece of Pelosi’s mail. Richard Barnett of Gravette, Arknasas, even took a nice portrait photo, bare chest exposed (for some reason), in front of the Capitol building, holding up the piece of mail he had stolen from Speaker Pelosi’s office. Barnett reportedly even left a note for Pelosi that read “Nancy, Bigo was here, you B****." “Bigo” is his nickname.
Barnett was quickly identified and arrested. His initial defense was that he wandered into Pelosi’s office because he had been looking for a bathroom. Not unlike many other well-documented insurgents, Barnett’s No. 1 argument is that he didn’t physically knock down the doors of the Capitol—he just walked right on in. The 60-year-old Barnett was hit with three charges: Knowingly Entering or Remaining in any Restricted Building or Grounds Without Lawful Authority; Violent Entry and Disorderly Conduct on Capitol Grounds; and Theft of Public Money; Property, or Records. Initially, an Arkansas judge approved Barnett’s release into the custody of his girlfriend—a person who had admitted to aiding and abetting Barnett on his return from D.C. This was quickly reversed by Chief U.S. District Judge Beryl A. Howell, who chastised Barnett in court and ordered him jailed until another hearing.
A couple of weeks later, a grand jury indicted Barnett on five additional charges, including Obstruction of an official proceeding; Aiding and abetting; Entering and remaining in a certain room in the Capitol building; Disorderly/Disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds with a deadly or dangerous weapon; and Parading, demonstrating, or picketing in a Capitol building. So how are things going now for Mr. Barnett—I mean, “Bigo?”
According to NBC News investigative reporter Scott MacFarlane, not so hot. MacFarlane tweeted out this eyewitness report of the Barnett court hearing:
!! WHOA: US Capitol defendant Richard Barnett -- man accused of putting feet on Pelosi desk - is *screaming* at attorneys and judge during his court hearing right now. Upset he's been locked up "for a whole month"... "it's not fair" Judge just recessed hearing for "5 mins"
And:
"Everybody else who did things much worse are already home" "You can't keep pushing me out month by month" SCREAMING at a judge and his lawyers
The KNWA Fox 24 newsroom reports that Barnett had called into the hearing from jail. His vocal outburst came after U.S. District Court Judge Christopher R. Cooper set a “status conference” to check up on the prisoner for May 4. After the outburst and a short recess to pause the action, Judge Cooper confirmed the next court date for May 4. According to KNWA Barnett’s attorney, New York-based Anthony Siano, can still apply for bail, which would require a different hearing to be scheduled.
When you live a life where it’s everybody else’s fault, it is tough to not continue to blame everyone but yourself for your actions.