Independent Journalist Who Documented January 6 Crimes is Found Guilty

An independent journalist who documented the January 6 riots was found guilty by a jury on four counts on Monday.

Stephen Horn reported on the miscarriage of justice on the social media platform X.

I told the same truth to the jury that I posted along with my video on January 7th: “I did not enter the capitol building as part of the protest, or for cheap thrills, but to accurately document and record a significant event which was taking place.” pic.twitter.com/pZdeB02mq8

— Stephen Horn (@stephenehorn) September 18, 2023

“The jury has returned a guilty verdict on my J6 charges”:

• Entering or Remaining in a Restricted Area
  • Disorderly or Disruptive Conduct in a Restricted Area
  • Disorderly Conduct in a Capitol Building
  • Parading, Demonstrating, or Picketing in the Capitol Building

“I told the same truth to the jury that I posted along with my video on January 7th: ‘I did not enter the capitol building as part of the protest, or for cheap thrills, but to accurately document and record a significant event which was taking place’,” he wrote.

“My sentencing hearing has been scheduled for January,” he added. “In addition, Judge Kelly has asked for briefings on the Rule 29 motion made by my lawyers (which argues that the “evidence is insufficient to sustain a conviction”).”

Below is the criminal complaint about Horn.

Stephen Ethan Horn Complain… by Law&Crime

 

In the criminal complaint, an individual attested that Horn was there in the capacity of a journalist, but may have lacked press credentials.

Earlier, Horn related how he gave the FBI a tip, which was a piece of “exculpatory evidence,” he maintained.

Anyone interested can support me here:https://t.co/LCykIfuNie

— Stephen Horn (@stephenehorn) September 11, 2023

Horn also shared a GiveSendGo page for legal contributions.

Horn said that he had attained over two hours of J6 footage showing numerous crimes. He also statedon his Locals page that he had evidence a Capitol Police officer pushed a Trump supporter off a ledge.

“On January 6th, Derrick Vargo was severely injured when he was pushed off a ledge on the West side of the Capitol. Vargo was climbing up the outside of the railing with a flag as Capitol Police officers attempted to hold the landing mid-way up the North West staircase,” he wrote. “Video shows Vargo turning around to retreat just before a Capitol Police officer in a blue motorcycle helmet and a black mask reaches out and pushes Vargo off the staircase. Vargo was carried off from the scene unresponsive.

Since I posted the video over a year ago, more evidence has come out, like this video of the incident from a security camerapic.twitter.com/yaVTy1f7SP

— Stephen Horn (@stephenehorn) February 23, 2023

“Court documents released last month reveal the identity of the masked Capitol Police Officer as Bryant Williams,” he added. “Although many of these facts were brought to my attention by a confidential source, they are verifiable via publicly available material. I am sharing this information because I believe in accountability.”

“Officer Williams was named as a victim in the government’s case against Barry Bennet Ramey,” he also noted. “Ramey was accused of spraying two officers including Williams with a chemical agent. Although Ramey was found guilty of charges including obstruction and violence, he was found not guilty of using a “deadly or dangerous weapon” in the commission of those crimes.”

Vargo is suing the Capitol Police over the incident.

“Derrick Vargo was purposefully and maliciously pushed to his death by the Capitol Police on January 6, 2021,” said his civil attorney Joseph McBride. “It is a miracle that he did not die. The physiological and psychological injuries that Mr. Vargo suffered are substantial and life altering. Suing the Capitol Police gives Mr. Vargo the ability to be made whole again while simultaneously holding the Capitol Police morally and legally accountable in a court of law.”

This DOJ-charged case raises serious concerns that this is yet another assault on freedom of the press by the Biden administration.