US Capitol riots: First defendant sentenced, avoids jail

Washington, June 24: A United States federal judge on Wednesday handed down the first sentence against someone charged with taking part in the January 6 insurrection at the US Capitol.

The defendant avoided a prison term after apologizing for her actions.

What the defendant said in the US Capitol riot trial

Anna Morgan-Lloyd had agreed on a guilty plea deal with prosecutors before the hearing. She admitted that she had illegally entered the Capitol building as Congress certified Joe Biden's November presidential win.

After the riots, the 48-year-old woman from Indiana had described January 6 as the "best day ever" in a Facebook post.

"I was there to support, to show support, for President Trump peacefully, and I'm ashamed that it became a savage display of violence that day," Lloyd told the judge during the hearing which was held via videoconferencing.

"It was never my intent to be a part of anything that"s so disgraceful to our American people."

The judge ordered Lloyd to serve three years of probation, pay $500 (€419) in restitution and perform 120 hours of community service.

Oath Keeper pleads guilty

A member of the Oath Keepers extremist group pleaded guilty in a conspiracy case and agreed to cooperate with prosecutors.

Graydon Young pleaded guilty to the counts of conspiracy and obstruction of an official proceeding.

Young was among 15 other members and associates of Oath Keepers who were accused of conspiring to block the congressional certification of Biden's victory.

His guilty plea was the first in the major conspiracy case against members of the group.

Llyod and Young were among thousands of former President Donald Trump's supporters who believed his false claim that the election was stolen and stormed the US Capitol in an attack that stunned the country and the world.

Five people died during the riots.

Federal authorities are working to identify some 800 people suspected of taking part in the January violence.

Source: DW