An Arizona federal judge ruled on Monday that the self-described “QAnon Shaman” – which gained widespread recognition after invading the United States Capitol without a shirt, wearing face paint, bearskin and a horned headdress on January 6 – should remain arrested until his trial.
Nicholas Rodean, 26, of Frederick, Maryland, was photographed inside the United States Capitol on January 6 wearing his employee badge from the home marketing company.
(Department of Justice)
Judge Royce Lamberth said that Jacob Chansley did not fully assess the seriousness of the charges against him and found that none of “Chansley’s many attempts to manipulate the evidence and minimize the seriousness of his actions” was convincing.
Jacob Chansley, the self-described “QAnon Shaman”.
(Alexandria Sheriff’s Office)
He said Chansley’s willingness to resort to violence and his refusal to follow police orders during the siege indicate that he would not follow the court’s release conditions.
Lamberth’s decision came after an interview Chansley gave to “60 Minutes Plus”, which aired last Thursday on “CBS This Morning” – the day before a DC judge heard arguments about the possible release Chansley before the trial.
The judge wrote that Chansley carried a spear into the siege, used a megaphone to encourage other troublemakers, profanely referred to then Vice President Mike Pence as a traitor while in the Senate and wrote a note to the Pence saying, “It’s just a matter of time, justice is coming. ”
Albert Ciarpelli (US District Court for the District of Columbia)
((US District Court for the District of Columbia))
Chansley, who contested that the note was intended to be threatening, also posted on social media in November, in which he promoted hangings for traitors.
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“Reading this note in the context of the defendant’s previous promotion of the execution of ‘traitors’ invalidates the notion that the defendant violated the Capitol just to leave peaceful political comments on the Senate dais,” Lamberth wrote, adding that Chansey’s actions showed a “detachment from reality.”
The judge sided with prosecutors who argued that the 6-inch spear mounted on top of the mast carried by Chansley to the Capitol was a dangerous weapon. His lawyer had characterized the spear as an ornament.
Chansley’s lawyer also said his client was in the third wave of troublemakers who entered the Capitol. But the judge said the video shows Chansley, who entered the Capitol through a door while protesters smashed windows nearby, “literally headed” the race into the building.
He has been in prison since his arrest days after a pro-Trump crowd stormed the Capitol while Congress certified Democrat Joe Biden’s victory over then President Donald Trump.
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Chansley’s lawyer, Al Watkins, said his client did not act violently inside the Capitol and contested that Chansley was any kind of leader in the riot.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.