By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent
As of June 5, 2024, the U.S. Department of Justice has charged more than 1,457 individuals in nearly all 50 states and the District of Columbia in connection with the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.
The charges, pursued by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the FBI’s Washington Field Office, include assaulting officers, conspiracy, theft of government property, and obstructing official proceedings.
Officials said the scale and speed of this ongoing investigation remain unprecedented, as Thursday, June 6, 2024, marked 41 months since the attack that disrupted a joint session of Congress, affirming President Joe Biden’s victory over the twice impeached and convicted former President Donald Trump.
Having been convicted of 34 felonies last month in New York and found liable for massive business fraud and sexual assault, Trump is also charged in connection with the insurrection. Federal prosecutors alleged that he conspired to disenfranchise millions of voters by pressuring state and federal officials to upend Biden’s victory in the 2020 election based on false claims of fraud.
The deadly insurrection caused approximately $2.8 million in damage to the Capitol building and grounds.
Prosecutors have charged approximately 517 individuals with assaulting, resisting, or impeding officers, including around 137 who used deadly or dangerous weapons. Trump supporters assaulted nearly 140 police officers during the riot, with about 80 from the U.S. Capitol Police and 60 from the Metropolitan Police Department. Further, eleven individuals face charges for assaulting members of the media or destroying their equipment.
Amid the developments, the story of January 6 continues to be told and examined through various lenses, including a new documentary, “The Sixth.” Filmmakers Sean Fine and Andrea Nix Fine focused on personal stories of resilience and courage rather than the perpetrators. “It’s never been a mystery as to what happened… but we bring forth a narrative that transcends mere recounting,” remarked Andrea Fine.
The ongoing prosecutions highlight the significant legal repercussions faced by those involved in the attack. To date, officials said approximately 835 individuals have pleaded guilty to a range of federal charges, with 263 pleading guilty to felonies and 572 to misdemeanors. Sentences have included prison terms of up to 151 months for serious offenses such as assaulting law enforcement officers or obstructing proceedings. Additionally, 170 individuals have been found guilty at contested trials, with 207 convicted following agreed-upon facts.
Interwoven with these legal updates, “The Sixth” provides a humanizing perspective on the attack. The documentary features six individuals who experienced the chaos firsthand, including Black photographer Mel D. Cole and Democratic staffer Erica Loewe. Cole feared for his life while documenting the riot, worried about his toddler son growing up without him. Loewe, barricaded with other Congressman James Clyburn’s staffers, feared for her life and worried about her mother, who lives with Alzheimer’s and for whom she is the sole caregiver. “Every single one of our characters is serving the public in different ways,” emphasized Andrea Fine.
The film also delves into the personal struggles of Congressman Jamie Raskin, who was helping certify Biden’s election victory over Trump while grieving his son, who had died by suicide a day earlier. His daughters were inside the Capitol as the attack unfolded, adding to his anguish. The documentary captures the emotional journeys of these individuals, offering a deeper understanding of the human impact of the events.
Officials at the Department of Justice said they remain committed to holding those responsible accountable. The FBI said it continues to seek public assistance in identifying individuals involved in violent acts on January 6, with photos available at fbi.gov/capitolviolence.
“For anyone from D.C., this film hits different… It’s just a different day for all of us here,” Cole, the courageous photographer, asserted.
