Court Finds Error in Jan. 6 Case, but Rules Against Convict

Appeals court acknowledges judge erroneously blocked defendant from striking potential juror.

In an image from video, former New York police officer Thomas Webster swings a flag pole at law enforcement officers in Washington on Jan. 6, 2021. Metropolitan Police Department via AP

A federal judge wrongly stopped a Jan. 6, 2021, defendant from striking a potential juror who admitted he could not view the defendant as presumptively innocent, a U.S. appeals court has found.

U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta denied a request from lawyers for Thomas Webster, who was later convicted on multiple counts, to strike a potential juror known as 1156 who had expressed support for President Joe Biden and said that support would put Mr. Webster at a disadvantage.