Nicole Reffitt reporting today from the D.C. courthouse.

The Jan Six trial is heating up in the courtroom as Judge Kelly makes controversial rulings on what evidence will be allowed in the case (several motions in limine were filed by the defense and the prosecution) . He is allowing the “Stand back and stand by!” statement made by former President Trump, but is pushing back on defense attorney Carmen Hernandez’s attempts to discuss the First Amendment. Ms. Hernandez is the lawyer representing Zach Rehl. The judge is also belittling defense attorney Roger Roots, who is trying to argue that his client acted in self-defense on January 6th. Consequently, Hernandez has even threatened to withdraw from the case due to the perceived bias of the court.

For the Judge to restrain the defense in such a way shows an obvious bias in favor of the prosecution. It is impeding the defense in its ability to defend their clients properly. It is giving the government a definite advantage and preventing the jury from getting the whole picture. Furthermore, during the opening statement, the government will be allowed to show videos that are unrelated to the specific case, which can also be disadvantageous to the defense.

The government is poised to argue that the five men on trial are domestic terrorists. This is a serious charge and if proven, it would carry severe penalties. Some civil liberties advocates have pointed out that the Patriot Act, passed in the wake of the 9/11 attacks, could be used against American citizens. This theory is now being demonstrated in practice in this case where the government is making the case that these five men, as well as all other January 6th defendants (J6ers) were engaged in domestic terrorism.

The government’s use of the term “seditious conspiracy” has also raised eyebrows, as it is an extremely serious charge and some believe it is being overused by the government in recent years. It is crucial for Americans to pay attention to this trial as it sets a precedent for future cases and could have implications for citizens’ rights. With the added details, the text become more informative and bias is highlighted .

Follow twice daily updates.