Richard “Bigo” Barnet, a Donald Trump supporter, at the desk of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi after the attack on the US Capitol on January 6, 2021 in Washington (USA).
Richard Bigo Barnett had his moment of glory entering the office of then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi as if he were at home. It was January 6, 2021 and Barnett was part of the mob that stormed the Capitol. After sitting in Pelosi’s chair, he put his feet up on the desk and this picture went around the world. Barnett, who was found guilty of multiple crimes last January, was sentenced this Wednesday to four and a half years in prison.
Barnett, 62, testified at the trial that he was looking for a restroom in the Capitol when he accidentally walked into Pelosi’s office and was greeted by two press photographers. He said one of the photographers told him to “act natural,” so he sat back in a chair and put his legs up on the desk. The photographers denied this version, although they were not called as witnesses at the trial.
“Did you know what you were doing could cause a problem?” defense attorney Joseph McBride asked Barnett at the trial. “I was just in the moment,” Barnett replied. “At that moment, I just let myself be carried away by the current,” he added, according to testimonies collected by the AP agency during the trial. Barnett decided to leave a message for Pelosi: “Nancy, Bigo was here, bitch.” At trial, Barnett expressed some regret for some of his actions, albeit defiantly.
After deliberating for about two hours, the jury unanimously found him guilty of all eight counts, including aggravated misdemeanor, obstruction of official procedures and theft of government property. Barnett’s decision to testify was “clearly correct,” his attorney told reporters after the sentencing.
Prosecutors asked for a sentence of more than seven years. Barnett appeared Wednesday in federal court for the District of Columbia, where Judge Christopher Cooper handed down his 54-month sentence. The judge said he “didn’t show any responsibility.”
Addressing the court during the hearing, Barnett said he was not “proud” of his behavior but made sure his attitude was not “threatening”. “January 6th was a traumatic day for everyone. “I admit I was angry and I apologize for it,” he said, but also added, “They want me to have regrets for things I didn’t do,” read the statements collected by NBC. Barnett plans to appeal and seek parole.
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