Evidence is now piling on at a rapid clip in the seditious conspiracy trial of five Proud Boys, including onetime ringleader Henry “Enrique” Tarrio, who prosecutors say led and engaged in a months-long conspiracy to violently stop the transfer of presidential power on Jan. 6, 2021.
Friday marked Day 18 of proceedings at the federal courthouse in Washington, D.C., where the grueling pace that has unfolded in recent weeks finally gave way to an impressive show of significant evidence: the private communications of Tarrio and his Proud Boy co-defendants Ethan Nordean, Zachary Rehl, Joseph Biggs, and Dominic Pezzola.
In this process, jurors have also begun to see startling communications from other key members of the neofascist group like Jeremy Bertino, a close compatriot to Tarrio who was the first to flip and plead guilty to seditious conspiracy in October 2022; and Charles Donohoe, a former U.S. Marine who pleaded guilty to conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding as well as assaulting, resisting, or impeding officers last April. Both former Proud Boy chapter leaders may end up testifying on behalf of the government as the trial goes forward, per terms of their plea agreements.
But only time will tell: Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason McCullough told presiding U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly this week he expects the trial to stretch at least another three to three-and-a-half weeks.
Read More