James Beeks, an ex-actor who entered the Capitol with members of the Oath Keepers Jan. 6, 2021, was acquitted Wednesday of all charges against him in connection with the Capitol attack.
Beeks and his co-defendant, Oath Keeper Donovan Crowl, faced charges of conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding and civil disorder. Crowl was convicted of both charges.
Prosecutors agreed to dismiss three other felony counts and a misdemeanor at the end of the proceedings in a deal to hold a stipulated bench trial before U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta instead of a D.C. jury.
Beeks attorney Greg Hunter told The Hill Tuesday that stipulated trials are “extremely rare,” but that defense counsel made the decision in part based on Mehta’s familiarity with the case material. Mehta has overseen all the high-profile Oath Keeper trials in connection with the riot.
Beeks had been representing himself in the proceedings, but minutes before closing remarks were set to begin, he waived that right and allowed Hunter to take over.
Hunter argued before Mehta that Beeks was a “hangers-on” and “wannabe” among the Oath Keepers, not central to their conspiracy to stop the certification of the 2020 election.
“If he didn’t know what others intended, he couldn’t intend to do it,” Hunter argued in closing remarks.
A former actor, Beeks played Judas in a national tour of the musical “Jesus Christ Superstar” before his arrest. Ahead of the verdict, he quipped to reporters Tuesday that if he got an acquittal he’d “do a song and dance right there.”
Crowl came to Washington Jan. 6 with Oath Keeper Jessica Watkins as part of the Ohio State Regular Militia. Watkins was tried and acquitted of seditious conspiracy but convicted of other serious felonies resulting in a prison sentence of eight and a half years.
On Tuesday, prosecutors described Crowl as Watkins’s deputy and an “ideological equal.” Crowl’s attorney, Carmen Hernandez, countered that Crowl headed to D.C. Jan. 6 with security for longtime Trump ally Roger Stone as the only plan in mind — the “key to the case,” she argued.
“Mr. Crowl’s conduct on J6 merited an acquittal,” Hernandez said in an emailed statement to The Hill. “It was nearly identical to that of Mr. Beeks, who was acquitted. And nearly identical to what thousands of other Americans who come to Congress to express their views have done without facing felony prosecutions”
“Unfortunately, Mr. Crowl’s political opinions, which should be protected by the First Amendment and his association with others were his downfall,” she added.
Crowl’s sentencing is set for Nov. 17, according to court filings.
Former Oath Keepers general counsel Kellye SoRelle, who was set to be a third co-defendant in the proceedings, was determined to be mentally incompetent to stand trial.
Six Oath Keepers, including group leader Stewart Rhodes, were convicted of seditious conspiracy for their roles in plotting to stop the certification of the 2020 election, and other members were convicted of other serious felonies.
More than 1,000 rioters across the country have been charged in connection with the Capitol attack, according to the Justice Department’s most recent count.
— Updated at 4:12 p.m.