“A Tale of an American Political Prisoner”

Part 17.2: The Federal Courthouse & The DC Gulag; Washington, DC

–The OathKeeper Sentencings Part 2–

by: Jessica Watkins (X: @J6ssicaWatkins)

A True Story; 100% verifiable with Courtroom Transcripts, Court Documents and Testimony.

The day of our Hearing, I had a sinking feeling that we were about to be f***ed, and I swirled hardcore into despair. The day of May 25th, 2023 was the day that Stewart Rhodes and Kelly Meggs were due to be Sentenced. I spent the day on hyper alert, checking the news probably every 15-20 seconds. When the news came out that Stewart had been Sentenced to 18 years, I was completely shocked. Not only had the man NOT entered the Capitol Building, but he had never encouraged others to do so. I didn’t even know the Stewart was there that day. All he did was show up, take a video for a few minutes, and then wander around without cell reception. At no point did he order or coordinate any strike of any kind. He had been found Guilty of (essentially) what George Orwell called “Thought Crime”. Stewart Rhodes had done nothing more egregious that day than be a “Thought Criminal”. I think it all boiled down to a “3 Way Call” that did not happen (the evidence of which, the Government deliberately withheld). When Kelly Meggs finally told Stewart that he had gone into the Capitol, Stewart stated “That was stupid…” And yet, here he was, facing an 18 year prison sentence. For …that. When I heard this, my gut filled with lead. 18 years was less than the 25 that the Government wanted, but not substantially enough for comfort. Before our hearing, I suspected Stewart would get 8-10. At most. After I saw how Judge Mehta ruled in favor of the Government, I knew he was going to throw the book at us. And sure enough… once again I was right.

Later that day was the Sentencing for Kelly Meggs. He too had a severe sentence thrown at him; despite the fact that he rescued Officer Harry Dunn on video, prayed for America on video, and then assisted Capitol Police in evacuating the Capitol Building on video, and then obeyed the curfew on video. At no point did he order people to do anything violent. All he did was follow the crowd as they walked through an open door, rescued a Police Officer and helped the police to do their job, and all in the span of 18 minutes. He never threatened anyone, or comitted any act of assault or vandalism. He did not come to the Capitol with any weapons, and never requested that any weapons be brought to him not that he could have anyway, there was no QRF to do so). All he did was to Rescue a Police Officer and assist them as they did their job. That would earn him a 12 year prison Sentence. I have tremendous respect for Meggs and Harrelson; I am extremely proud of them for rescuing a Police Officer in distress; I (rightly) consider them both heroes for doing so. Rhodes and Meggs were guilty of little else other than Trespassing and “Thought Crime”. Seditious Conspiracy (in the way they were applying the law) IS tantamount to Thought Crime. The accusation is that he “Thought about using Force against the Government”. Based on what? I can only assume, based on a “3 Way Call” that never even happened. Evidence of which the Government deliberately withheld. For these actions, he would wrongfully be doomed to a 12 Year prison sentence. My guts were in knots the rest of the day as I sat in my cell, glued to the news feeds. But, I had a faint glimmer of hope. I wondered that if it would matter that they had been found Guilty of Seditious Conspiracy, but I had been found NOT GUILTY. I thought maybe Judge Mehta would treat me diff…

***BAM-DOOR SLAM***

“PACK YOUR S***, NOW!!! PACK YOUR F***ING CELLS!!!” The CO’s swarmed our Cell Block and aggressively made half of us, myself included, pack up our Cells. Before I continue, let me remind you what had happened months before. Remember when I was thrown in “The Hole” during the 4th of July, for literally nothing? Remember when I mentioned the “Housing Form”, where Warden Landerkin elevated me from a Level 1 Minimum Security Inmate to a Level 12 Maximum Security Inmate … just because “she said so”? Well, after my trial, the Jail had been STILL pushing for me to sign the form to “Accept” that I was a 12-Max. I refused every time, telling the Case Manager “NO! I will NOT sign that I accept your classification! This form has my listed Charges as ‘Seditious Conspiracy’ and ‘Destruction of Government Property’, and I was found NOT GUILTY of BOTH of those Charges! I won’t sign ANYTHING with those Charges! Pull out your phone and Google my name. My case was the most famous Trial of 2022! You will see that I am innocent!” The Case Manager curled her lip at me and bobbed her head side to side (in typical ghetto fashion), saying “Well, it ain’t say’ dat s*** in MY computa’, so dat’s wut you got, an’ I ain’t changin’ s***.” (no exagerration on aforementioned syntax) OK, so back to May 25, 2023. Despite my Acquittal (Not Guilty) on those Charges, the Staff at the DC Gulag refused to honor the Jury’s verdict. Warden Landerkin just pushed “override” and made me a Maximum Security (12-Max) Inmate, and continued to accuse me of crimes of which I had been found Not Guilty. I had fought this “Housing Form” every month since my Verdict was read in early December. So what, 5-6 times? One time I even brought this up to Lieutenant Hines on her BodyCam, and she stated clearly “Yeah, that doesn’t sound right at all. You have a legitimate complaint.” But of course, nothing was ever done.

Well, NOW… less than an hour after Stewart Rhodes had been Sentenced to 18 years… all the Maximum Security inmates were being transferred to Maximum Security Housing. Kenny Harrelson was thrown in the Hole as well, and When Kelly Meggs and Stewart Rhodes were returned to the jail from being Sentenced, the Jail staff were waiting for them. They too were thrown in Maximum Security Housing.

***OPINION*** I believe this was all coordinated. I don’t have ANY doubts in my mind that the Jail was watching to see how Judge Mehta was punishing the OathKeepers, and then the jail decided to throw ALL the OathKeepers in “The Hole” permanently, at the same time. That’s no mistake. No way in hell.

The new Maximum Security Unit that I had been transferred to (E4B) was terrible. We were behind locked doors and the cells had toilets in them (again), we had limited privileges and Rec time, and were treated like absolute DOGS*** by the CO’s. They would harass us, beat on our doors all night and sleep deprive us, destroy pictures of my pets, deny us basic things like showers, and they screamed at us like Drill Sergeants. The next 2-3 months in that hellhole would be a nightmare. I wouldn’t take it well, and my Mental Health would severely plummet as a result. But while this mistreatment was undeserved, it had not yet occurred. Being thrown in “The Hole” abruptly and without cause (again) was not the only weight on my mind. The following morning, at 11am, I was due to be Sentenced. Given the weighty sentences of Rhodes and Meggs, my stomach was in knots. I remember dry heaving in my toilet most of that night. I won’t lie, I was a total wreck.