By Jan Wolfe and Sarah N. Lynch
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – A former New York City police officer was found guilty on Monday of assaulting a Washington police officer during the raid on the Washington Capitol by supporters of then-President Donald Trump, giving prosecutors another victory in the trial, confirmed the spokesman for the Department of Justice.
A federal jury in the District of Columbia rejected Thomas Webster’s arguments, 56, that he was acting in self-defense by hitting the Washington police officer with a flagpole and knocking him to the ground.
A Justice Department spokesman said Webster will be sentenced on Sept. 2.
Webster was the fourth Capitol raid defendant to have his case brought before a popular jury. The Justice Department has secured convictions in all four cases brought to jury so far.
Of those four defendants, Webster was the first to argue that he acted in self-defense.
Webster took the witness stand during the week-long trial and told jurors he had been “provoked” by the officer, who slapped him in the face.
“I felt like I was dealing with a fake cop,” Webster said during the trial.
Prosecutors rejected Webster’s defense and portrayed District of Columbia police officer Noah Rathbun as a victim in the episode.
(Reporting by Jan Wolfe; additional reporting by Sarah N. Lynch)
know more
+ New Montana: 3rd generation of Chevrolet pickup arrives in 2023
+ Omicron: Unexpected symptom of infection in children worries medical teams
+ Mercadão de SP vendors threaten customers with fruit scam
+ Video: Mother is attacked on social media for wearing tight clothes to take her son to school
+ Horoscope: check today’s forecast for your sign
+ What is known about fluorone?
+ Trick to squeeze lemons becomes a craze on social media
+ ‘Monster Ichthyosaur’ is discovered in Colombia
+ One twin became vegan, the other ate meat. Check the result
+ See which were the most stolen cars in SP in 2021
+ Expedition identifies giant squid responsible for ship sinking in 2011
+ US Agency warns: never wash raw chicken meat
#ExNew #York #Policeman #Guilty #Assaulting #Police #Officer #Capitol #Raid