A suspect who is held on charges coming from the Capitol riot is claiming to have been “severely beaten” by guards, while another says others held over the riots are getting “threats and verbal harassment.”
Ryan Samsel is accused of “pushing through multiple barriers and knocking down an officer, causing the officer to receive a concussion,” according to CBS.
Politico says that Ronald Sandlin, another defendant, gave “a stunning account” of events involving one suspect and a guard.
During a Zoom-based court appearance this week, Sandlin said that Samsel, “was beaten by guards, is blind in one eye, and has a fracture and detached retina.”
Samsel’s lawyer claims he was “savagely and viciously” beaten.
“He has definitely got serious injuries, including a broken orbital bone, a shattered orbital floor, broken jaw and broken nose,” the lawyer said.
Sandlin also said that those held concerning the Capitol protest “are scared for their lives.”
Capitol riot defendant "viciously and savagely" beaten by guard in Washington, D.C. jail, lawyer says https://t.co/Z5T8T28Wut
— CBS News (@CBSNews) April 8, 2021
“We plan on suing these two guards and the jail responsible for this violence because Ryan Samsel didn’t deserve this,” he said.
Another lawyer said the alleged incident is under FBI investigation.
NEW: A Capitol riot defendant claims he was severely beaten by a DC prison guard. He and a couple other Jan. 6 detainees awaiting trial say they feel increasingly unsafe in their 23-hour-a-day isolation at DC detention facilities. w/ @joshgerstein https://t.co/eAleyMhiuC
— Kyle Cheney (@kyledcheney) April 6, 2021
Sandlin, meanwhile, also said there is anti-white hatred among the jail guards and the mostly white Trump supporters being held.
He told the judge that one guard said, “I hate all white people and your honky religion.”
Gulags are here.
Protesters are being beaten.
If you say anything, more beatings.
If you speak out, judges will say you don’t respect authority and deny bail.
Welcome to Hell. https://t.co/SEtKNSpDFY
— Cernovich (@Cernovich) April 6, 2021
Amid setbacks, prosecutors abandon some claims in U.S. Capitol riot cases | Reuters https://t.co/yHhIk7yGah
— Grizzly Joe 🇺🇸🇮🇱 👊 (@GrizzlyJoeShow) March 27, 2021
Author: Blake Ambrose