‘Final opportunity to make peace’: Accused Jan. 6 rioter warns judge of ‘dangerous cycle of retribution’ in asking for trial delay after Trump victory

An accused Jan. 6 rioter and onetime City Council candidate in Topeka, Kansas, asked a judge to delay his trial until after Donald Trump takes office, warning him of a “dangerous cycle of retribution.”

William Alexander Pope, who’s representing himself in his trial, warned U.S. District Court Judge Rudolph Contreras, a Barack Obama appointee, in a Friday court filing that “wielding extreme government force can lead to a dangerous cycle of escalating retribution as control of the government continues changing hands.”

He also said his prior attempt “at an olive branch” asking the government to “begin bestowing mercy on the hundreds of January 6 defendants whose lives are being crushed” was rejected by the government.

The prosecution team, he added, “seems foolishly intent on vindictiveness to this final hour.”

“It would be wise to instead view this as a final opportunity to make peace and to take two weeks off in December,” he added.

Pope faces charges of civil disorder, trespassing, disorderly conduct and picketing at the Capitol. He can be seen parading around carrying an American flag inside the building, according to the statement of facts that outlines the allegations against him.

Pope allegedly entered the building through the Senate Wing doors as officers tried to stop him and blocked officers from closing the door to prevent other rioters from entering. At one point, an officer ordered Pope to leave the building and tried grabbing and pushing him out, but Pope resisted by tensing up and refusing to move, court documents allege.

In the building, Pope allegedly went to a hallway outside the Speaker of the House’s offices. He struck at an office door several times with the bottom of the flagpole and then tried to force the door open by lunging into the door with his shoulder, court documents said. Pope, then allegedly inside with his brother who’s also charged in the case, went to different areas throughout the building. At one point, several officers removed the two from an elevator.

Pope was arrested on Feb. 12, 2021, after someone who knew him tipped off the FBI about a video showing him and his brother at the Capitol. A second tipster gave the FBI a screenshot from a news clip showing Pope in the Capitol’s Statuary Hall, court documents said.

Pope appeared in a Jan. 11, 2021, article under the headline, “Kansas man who ran for Topeka City Council appears in video of fatal shooting at U.S. Capitol.” He admitted to being in the building but told the newspaper he didn’t damage anything and was exercising his First Amendment rights. The article noted he ran for the Topeka City Council in 2019 and lost.

In his motion, Pope talked about Trump’s presidential win on Nov. 5.

“In delivering both an electoral victory and popular vote majority, the American people gave President Trump a mandate to carry out the agenda he campaigned on, which includes ending the January 6 prosecutions and pardoning those who exercised First Amendment rights at the Capitol,” the defendant wrote. “In contrast, Vice President Harris, campaigned on continuing the January 6 prosecutions, and her platform was rejected by the American people. This outcome and new mandate from the people justifies my trial being continued into the next administration.”

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