Trump’s election victory is prompting requests for case delays from Jan. 6 defendants.
Supporters of President-elect Donald Trump, charged in the Jan. 6 U.S. Capitol attack, are already seeking to postpone their cases, citing potential pardons once Trump is inaugurated. Attorneys for Christopher Carnell, a 21-year-old from North Carolina found guilty of felony and misdemeanor charges related to his nonviolent participation, asked D.C. District Judge Beryl Howell on Wednesday to delay a status hearing, highlighting Trump’s campaign promises to pardon nonviolent Jan. 6 participants.
In their filing, Carnell’s attorneys argued that, as a young, nonviolent defendant, he could reasonably expect clemency under Trump’s administration. They noted recent efforts to reach out to Trump’s team for details on the scope and timing of such potential pardons.
Judge Howell, however, denied Carnell’s request to delay the hearing.
Since the Jan. 6 attack, federal prosecutors have charged more than 1,500 individuals across the U.S., marking one of the Justice Department’s most extensive criminal investigations. The D.C. U.S. Attorney’s office continues to make arrests regularly, with many charges involving violent assaults on law enforcement. Observers anticipate that Trump’s incoming administration may halt the ongoing investigation into Jan. 6-related cases, given his stated intentions to pardon many involved in the attack.