Proud Boys members must face Jan 6 charges, US judge rules
Hundreds of police were injured during the several-hour onslaught and four officers who guarded the Capitol have since taken their own lives
A US judge on Tuesday allowed a criminal case relating to the deadly Jan. 6 Capitol attack to move forward, declining to dismiss charges against four members of the far-right Proud Boys group.
In a written ruling, US District Judge Timothy Kelly rejected arguments by the four Proud Boys defendants that obstruction charges should be thrown out.
The defendants — Ethan Nordean, Joseph Biggs, Zachary Rehl, and Charles Donohoe — have been charged with violating a federal law that makes it a felony to obstruct an official government proceeding, among other charges.
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That obstruction charge has been used by prosecutors in more than 230 of the 700 criminal cases against participants in the assault.
Four people died on the day of the riot by supporters of then President Donald Trump and one Capitol police officer died the next day of injuries sustained while defending Congress.
Hundreds of police were injured during the several-hour onslaught and four officers who guarded the Capitol have since taken their own lives.
The Proud Boys defendants said the obstruction law is unconstitutional because it is vaguely written and could chill free speech rights.
