Federal prosecutors failed to convict anyone in the second group trial of alleged Trump inauguration rioters after jurors acquitted defendants of some charges and deadlocked on others.
One defendant, Casey Webber, was acquitted on all counts of rioting and property destruction Monday, followed by a partial acquittal of Seth Cadman on Wednesday, with jurors deadlocking on a single charge of engaging in a riot.
On Thursday, jurors acquitted Anthony Felice of assaulting an officer and deadlocked on the remaining charges against Felice and co-defendant Michael Basillas.
Judge Kimberly Knowles declared a mistrial for deadlocked charges against Cadman, Felice, and Basillas. Prosecutors have the option of refiling charges within 30 days.
A spokesman for the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia declined to comment on the mistrial.
The jury’s mixed decision comes after one member acknowledged in a Thursday note to Knowles that jurors had openly discussed the concept of jury nullification after one juror read “Google jury nullification” on a bathroom wall.
Although police arrested more than 230 participants of a window-smashing, anti-capitalism march more than 16 months ago, the trial was only the second to take place. An initial trial last year resulted in six acquittals.
