CNN
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Legal professionals for Proud Boys chief Enrique Tarrio revealed in courtroom Friday that they plan to argue throughout their December seditious conspiracy trial that the far-right extremist group was in contact with legislation enforcement about their plans to rally in Washington, DC, on January 6, 2021.
Tarrio spoke with Metropolitan Police Lt. Shane Lamond a number of occasions concerning the group’s plans to attend rallies within the district across the time of the 2020 election, in accordance with Nayib Hassan, an legal professional for Tarrio. Hassan mentioned he desires to name Lamond as a protection witness.
“How can there be sedition in the event that they’re informing legislation enforcement” of their plans? Hassan requested District Decide Timothy Kelly throughout a pretrial convention Friday.
Hassan mentioned the officer had been threatened by the Justice Division with obstruction expenses if he decides to testify to communications he had with Tarrio as a result of his testimony “would fully and completely destroy [the DOJ’s] case.”
Prosecutor Erik Kenerson categorically denied the allegation, telling Kelly the concept “the federal government has someway threatened witnesses … all of that’s simply categorically false.” Kenerson mentioned witnesses “don’t belong” to protection attorneys or prosecutors and that protection counsel has recognized concerning the authorities’s contacts with Lamond for months.
Tarrio and 4 different members of the Proud Boys are set to go on trial on December 19 for expenses regarding the January 6, 2021, assault on the US Capitol, together with seditious conspiracy. All 5 have pleaded not responsible.
In line with sources acquainted with the matter, DC Police positioned Lamond on administrative depart in February 2022. DC Police instructed CNN on Friday that Lamond continues to be on administrative depart however wouldn’t touch upon the explanation why.
“Lt. Lamond has devoted his life to preventing the unlawful conduct that occurred on January sixth and is adamantly against those that stoke concern and hatred and denounces the violent conduct of all those that supported the rebel and attacked our metropolis and our nation on January sixth,” Lamond’s legal professional, Mark Schamel, mentioned in an announcement.
“Lt. Lamond’s adorned profession has been to guard this metropolis and this nation and he has by no means accomplished something to help the criminals who attacked our democracy on January sixth,” Schamel added.
Tarrio instructed CNN on the time Lamond was positioned on depart that he seen Lamond as his DC Police “liaison” and was in contact with Lamond “anytime [Proud Boys] went to rally in DC.”
“It’s ridiculous to say that he was doing one thing improper. He actually was conserving two teams from clashing with each other by letting me know the place Antifa or BLM protesters had been in order that we may keep away from operating into them,” Tarrio instructed CNN in a February interview. “Isn’t having communication to forestall violence what group policing is all about?”