I have been following along with the live blogging of the Proud Boys trial via both Brandi Buchman and Roger Parloff. I like reading both of their liveblogs because each has a different perspective on certain parts of the trial and a different way of writing out what is happening. Also, by following both of them, I never miss a moment since there is almost no instance where both of them are away from the courthouse. Considering there has been virtually zero coverage of the trial, it is the only way to know what is happening on each day of the trial.
The last couple of days of testimony have been from two witnesses called by Enrique Tarrio, the leader of the Proud Boys: George Meza (a/k/a Asher Barkizoba), a convert to Judaism who is now a rabbi, and Fernando Alonzo, who uses the name deplorable51 in MOSD chats. Both are former Proud Boys. Meza had been kicked out seemingly due to trying to hard to rid the group of anti-Semitism, and Alonzo claimed to have left after he parted ways with the PB ideology. Both witnesses basically contradicted everything they said on direct when crossed by the AUSA who questioned them. Both witnesses testified not to know of any plans to storm the Capitol, but on cross both admitted to not being in on most of the chat threads prosecutors are using as evidence of the conspiracy or even to being a part of chat groups designated for leaders to discuss Jan 6. Meza was a part of one such group, Ministry of Self Defense (MOSD) but spent more time getting castigated by two of the defendants for pushing back on anti-Semitism than actually participating in chats.
Worse for both witnesses was their descriptions of what was happening where they were during the insurrection. Both testified on direct to not seeing any violence nor being near the Capitol at key times during the day. Unfortunately for both of them, the prosecutors had tons of evidence to impeach both of them. Meza, who did say he was by the Columbus (Rotunda) doors during the period of when the rioters were actively trying to force the doors open, claimed he saw no violence. During cross, the government showed numerous video evidence of him basically next to the crowd trying to push their way into the building. Meza also claimed the PBs were only about self-defense, but the government on cross showed a 4 minute video he recorded after the insurrection in which he wonders why Republicans are disavowing violence and asking when will they start justifying it. A couple of key quotes from the video, “Fuck, yeah, what happened in DC was called for.” and “[J6] was the most patriotic act committed in this country in the last 100 yrs.”
Alonzo on direct testified he would have immediately left the Capitol grounds had he seen violence that day and disassociated himself with the PBs. He also testified he would have been “insulted” by violence and the potential for an overthrowing of the government. Again, the government showed him video on cross of him continuing towards the Capitol as violence erupted around him throughout the day. Additionally, the government presented evidence of him continuing to be a part of PB chat groups for months after the insurrection. It was also revealed on cross when found out about Ashli Babbitt being shot, he ignored it to ask whether Pence had “betrayed” them. Neither did he seem insulted by other pro-coup messages the government presented to him or in chat messages.
If the goal of defense witnesses is poke holes in the prosecution and hopefully give an air of reasonable doubt for the jury, these two witnesses not only failed to do that but seem to allow the government to bring in more evidence of the state of mind of various PBs. Based on the liveblogs, the defense attorneys tried objecting numerous times during cross but were regularly overruled. I have never been a fan of overzealous objecting by attorneys on cross when I have been on a jury. To me, it is a sign that your witness is actually bad for your case. I get the defense needed to put up some witnesses to try and present a viable alternative to the jury about the origins of the insurrection and why the violence occurred; I just think both of these witnesses did more damage to their clients than had they not been called at all.
Anyone who has been following along, please comment with your thoughts on the defense witnesses we have heard testify thus far.
Some information for this diary came from Roger Parloff’s twitter feed.
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