A man was convicted of assaulting the Capitol police on January 6.
He is a Montgomery County, Maryland, police officer.
Justin Lee had a two day trial. He was part of the mob on January 6, 2021, partially disguised by a gaiter covering his face. Lee took the smoke bomb from another protester, pulled the pin, and threw it into a tunnel being defended by police. The smoke bomb bounced off a police riot shield. The police were being pelted at the time by hard "rock-like" objects being thrown by rioters. Justin Lee joined others in "spotlighting" the officers by pointing powerful flashlights into the eyes of Capitol defenders. A judge convicted him on two felony counts and three misdemeanors.
A Montgomery County police spokesperson said they did not know about Lee's involvement in the Capitol attack, or that an FBI investigation was underway when he was hired. Following conviction of the felonies, they placed him on unpaid leave, pending termination. Sentencing is scheduled for November.
Lee has been on administrative leave since July 2023 incident involving a man suspected of stabbing four people at a thrift store. Officers were responding to calls when they confronted a suspect holding a butcher knife. The suspect ignored officers' commands to drop the knife and lunged at Lee, according to the department's news release. Lee shot and killed the man.
My takeaway: Police are called into chaotic situations. The law grants them the use of deadly force to protect themselves and others. Lee benefited from the presumption of his right to use deadly force when confronting an attacker. Lee is burdened by that presumption when he participated in the attack on the Capitol. Lee was lucky he wasn't shot by a police officer blinded by the smoke and fearing being overrun by a mob.
In what world of lunacy or privilege do Americans of any political opinion think they can attack police officers defending the Capitol, and not presume they won't be stopped by police using deadly force?
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2 comments:
Donald Trump, leader of the once-Grand Old Party and its candidate for our nation’s highest office, will be hosting an awards gala at his New Jersey golf resort for participants in the insurrection he incited. What a pity if Justin Lee is unable to attend. He sounds like just the sort of person they want to honor.
It's another money-making con by TFG.
It's not for the other domestic terrorists.
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