A Washington state proud boy member and convicted Jan. 6 rioter who had a history of berating and abusing him throughout proceedings had his prison sentence lowered by a federal judge.
A U.S. Supreme Court decision restricting the government’s use of a federal obstruction law resulted in a one-year reduction in Marc Anthony Bru’s jail term. Chief U.S. District Chief Judge James E. Boasberg first sentenced Bru in January to 72 months or six years in prison and 36 months of supervised release, along with a $7,946 fine and $2,000 in restitution. Bru was found guilty on October 3, 2023, after a bench trial before Boasberg of obstruction, civil disorder, and five misdemeanor offenses.
The resentencing follows Bru’s initial punishment, in which he insulted Boasberg, an appointment of Barack Obama, and otherwise disturbed the court. According to the Associated Press, Bru told Boasberg that extending his sentence would not be a significant deterrent, but he did not recite the same insults during Friday’s hearing.
The same 72-month sentence that Bru was originally given was sought in the government’s supplemental sentencing memorandum. Prosecutors claimed that this was the proper punishment for a man who rioted at the Capitol and intended to lead an armed uprising to seize power in Portland, Oregon. According to them, he also fled his case on January 6th while it was still undergoing trial.
According to the prosecution, Bru attempted to make fun of the trial process. They stated that after his conviction, he disseminated false information by claiming to be a victim of political persecution and making threatening, hysterical remarks in public places.
Most concerningly, Bru threatened to order the U.S. Marshals to arrest Chief Judge James E. Boasberg and the undersigned lead prosecutor for human trafficking at his sentencing if they did not comply with his demands in the two days prior to his sentencing hearing, according to prosecutors. Additionally, he threatened to ignite a nationwide prison riot if the Speaker of the House and the former President didn’t act quickly.
During his initial sentencing hearing, the judge sent in more U.S. Marshals for security because of the statements. According to officials, Bru disrupted the Court and the administration during the hearing, demonstrating disdain.
He referred to Boasberg as a clown and charged the Court with operating an unlawful and dishonest fing kangaroo court.
He claimed that the two DUIs he received while on pretrial release were the result of the government. Additionally, he described the lead prosecutor, who is undersigned, as vile and disgusting.
Bru boldly and proudly declared, “You can give me a hundred years, and I would do it all over again,” when given the opportunity to speak.
Ben W. Muse, Bru’s public defender, requested in his sentencing memo that the court follow the standards of six to twelve months in jail because he had no criminal history and wasn’t violent on that particular day.
According to Muse, he protested the presidential election results that he felt were rigged by going to the Capitol grounds on January 6.
Muse claimed to have yelled at the cops as he was among the people on West Plaza. He leaned against the approaching bike rack for a few seconds, resisting the police’s attempts to use the racks to push the encroaching crowd away from the Capitol. He then entered the Capitol with other demonstrators through open doors and stayed there for fifteen minutes.
According to Muse, Bru participated in civil disobedience in a loud yet peaceful way. Since he genuinely believed President Trump and his followers’ allegations that the presidential election was rigged and that democracy was in jeopardy, he declared that he would do it once more. His acts should not be confused with those of other aggressive bad actors; rather, they should be seen for what they are.
Muse went on to say that his actions after his arrest caused him and the other Jan. 6 defendants to feel that they were being treated differently as a class than other protesters who had participated in disruptive acts of civil disobedience at the Capitol or in other cities across the nation. This, he said, frustrated the criminal justice system on multiple occasions. However, given this, the government argues that his actions were not deserving of the 72-month term that the court imposed.
He views himself as a sovereign citizen, according to Law&Crime, and at the conclusion of his bench trial, he allegedly told federal prosecutors and U.S. District Chief Judge James Boasberg that they were outside his jurisdiction and that the court had both trafficked and committed war crimes against him.
Have a tip we should know?[email protected]
Note: Every piece of content is rigorously reviewed by our team of experienced writers and editors to ensure its accuracy. Our writers use credible sources and adhere to strict fact-checking protocols to verify all claims and data before publication. If an error is identified, we promptly correct it and strive for transparency in all updates, feel free to reach out to us via email. We appreciate your trust and support!
Leave a Reply