Two suspects charged in Capitol assault

Actions described as ‘ premeditated violence’

Two riot suspects accused of dousing police with chemical spray, including Capitol Police officer Brian Sicknick, were “lying in wait” before launching an attack that helped break law enforcement’s defensive line, accelerating the deadly breach of the Capitol, prosecutors argued in a Tuesday detention hearing.

Prosecutors claimed that the alleged assault involving Julian Khater, 32, and George Tanios, 37, temporarily blinded and staggered Sicknick, along with two other officers.

Sicknick died the following day of unrelated causes.

Assistant U. S. Attorney Gilead Light characterized the suspects’ actions as “pre- meditated violence at pointblank” range.

“There was no more severe conduct during this riot,” Light argued, referring to the alleged attack and other police assaults that left 140 officers injured.

U. S. District Judge Thomas Hogan did not immediately rule on suspects’ requests for pre- trial release, setting another round of arguments for May 6.

Tanios and Khater face decades in prison if convicted on 10 criminal counts, including conspiracy to attack officers. Neither suspect is charged with Sicknick’s death.

Last week, D. C. medical examiner Francisco Diaz attributed Sicknick’s death to natural causes, having suffered strokes. Diaz found that Sicknick, 42, died of “acute brainstem and cerebellar infarcts due to acute basilar artery thrombosis.”

Diaz released a timeline saying Sicknick was sprayed about 2: 20 p. m. on Jan. 6, collapsed about 10 p. m. and then died at a hospital about 9: 30 p. m. on Jan. 7.

Of the 140 officers injured during the riot, some suffered head and back injuries, gouged eyes and severed fingers. Video and photographs of the siege have shown officers beaten, trampled and others crushed in doorways.

Khater’s attorney, Joseph Tacopina, argued that his client used pepper spray only after being doused with chemical irritants used by police, suggesting that Khater acted out of “panic.”

“Mr. Khater was not part of the Proud Boys or other extremist groups who prepared months in advance,” Tacopina said, citing the alleged involvement of multiple groups whose members have been accused of conspiring to attack the Capitol.

While prosecutors have claimed that Tanios purchased bear repellent and pepper spray the day before the two traveled to Washington, Light said only the pepper spray canister was deployed.

Still, the prosecutor questioned the suspects’ need for any of the equipment if their aim was to participate in a peaceful demonstration.