Several members of the far-right militia Oath Keepers were convicted two years after the invasion of the US Capitol at the end of US President Donald Trump’s term. A jury found four men guilty in Washington yesterday, including charges of “seditious conspiracy” – a crime rarely used in the country’s judicial history, several US media outlets unanimously reported.
The accused were accused of conspiring to use force to prevent the democratic transfer of power after the 2020 presidential election. Only in November was militia leader Stewart Rhodes also convicted of “seditious conspiracy”.
Up to 20 years imprisonment possible
Sentences for those convicted will be determined at a later date. The maximum penalty for “seditious conspiracy” is up to 20 years in prison.
Crime is not easy to prove. To do this, the prosecution must prove that two or more people conspired to overthrow the US government or used force to challenge its authority. The men’s lawyers argued during the trial that the defendants had not planned a conspiracy and were merely following the militia leader.
Incited by Trump
On January 6, 2021, supporters of President Donald Trump, who was eliminated at the time, invaded the Houses of Parliament in Washington to prevent the election victory of Democrat Joe Biden in November 2020 from being confirmed – several people lost their lives. The attack on the heart of American democracy shook the country. Trump had previously spurred his supporters on in a speech.