Prosecutors Admit to Violating Jan. 6 Defendant’s Rights; Judge Blocks Guilty Plea

Law enforcement officers and members of the National Guard stand outside the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. Samuel Corum/Getty Images

Prosecutors on March 14 admitted to violating the rights of a Jan. 6 defendant by keeping him in jail without filing charges within the timeframe required by federal law.

The defendant at a hearing later Monday attempted to plead guilty, but was turned down by the judge in a move that raised questions about the judge’s grasp of the law.