Edward Kelley (images via FBI court filing).
The Justice Department is standing firm on not overturning the conviction of an individual involved in the January 6 riot. This person was found guilty of planning to kill FBI agents who were investigating him for crimes related to the Capitol attack, which included unlawful entry and assaulting a law enforcement officer.
The individual in question, Edward Kelley, aged 35 and from Maryville, Tennessee, had previously argued that his case about plotting murder was connected to the events at the Capitol on January 6, 2021. He had filed a motion on January 27 to dismiss his indictment and overturn his jury convictions, shortly after former President Donald Trump had issued pardons. The response from Trump’s Justice Department was clear and direct.
The prosecutors countered Kelley’s argument, stating, “The defendant’s assertion is incorrect. Both sides consistently emphasized to the Court and the jury that this case does not revolve around January 6… This case focuses on the defendant’s distinct criminal activities in Tennessee, later in 2022, over 500 miles away from the Capitol. These activities involved threats, solicitations, and schemes to murder individuals from various law enforcement agencies like the FBI, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, and local police departments.”
