A Tennessee man, previously charged for his role in the January 6, 2021, U.S. Capitol riot, was found guilty on Wednesday of conspiring to kill federal investigators.
Supporters of then-President Donald Trump descended on the Capitol on January 6, 2021, in an effort to prevent the official certification of the 2020 election results, which gave Joe Biden the presidency. The former president had continued to claim, without evidence, that the election was “rigged” via widespread voter fraud but has denied stoking the violence that took place at the Capitol.
Since then more than 1,400 people have been charged in relation to the Capitol riot.
What Is the Conviction?
Edward Kelley, 35, of Maryville, Tennessee, was convicted on Wednesday in Knoxville of conspiracy to murder federal employees, solicitation to commit violent crime and threatening a federal official, according to a statement from the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
He faces up to life in prison at sentencing in May.
Kelley was one of hundreds of rioters arrested on charges of illegally entering the U.S. Capitol. However, prosecutors said while awaiting trial, Kelley developed a plan to kill law enforcement, including FBI agents.
Prosecutors outlined a disturbing scheme in which Kelley created a “kill list” of 37 names that included FBI agents and other law enforcement personnel involved in his investigation.
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The list, accompanied by videos of FBI employees, was distributed as part of what Kelley described as his “mission.” A witness later turned the materials over to a Tennessee police department, according to court records.
What Happened at Trial
Testimony during the trial revealed that Kelley, alongside a co-defendant who has since pleaded guilty, plotted to target the FBI’s Knoxville office with car bombs and incendiary drone attacks.
The pair also discussed carrying out targeted assassinations at the homes and public gatherings of federal employees. Prosecutors also presented evidence of Kelley being recorded saying, “Every hit has to hurt,” which they said showed his intentions.
What’s Next?
Kelley’s case comes as Trump’s electoral victory on November 5 has sparked an explosion of enthusiasm among imprisoned January 6 rioters and their supporters, as many expect that the former president will pardon them once he returns office in 2025.
While Trump has promised to pardon some of those who stormed the Capitol on January 6, 2021, he has not specified whom among the more than 1,400 rioters charged would receive such treatment. Trump campaign spokesperson Karoline Leavitt previously said his administration would decide “on a case-by-case basis when he is back in the White House.”
Among those federally charged in connection with the storming of the Capitol, over 500 were charged with assaulting, resisting or impeding police; some 1,000 have pleaded guilty or were found guilty during trial.
This article includes reporting from The Associated Press.