Judge seeks information in Capitol riot case
A hearing set to determine whether a Champaign County woman charged in connection to the Washington, D.C., Capitol riot should remain in jail pending trial was continued after a judge asked for more information about the charges she faces.
Jessica Watkins is charged with conspiracy, obstruction of an official proceeding (and aiding and abetting), destruction of government property (and aiding and abetting) and entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds. She has pleaded not guilty.
Prosecutors said in a court filing ahead of the Tuesday hearing that they believe Watkins has been charged with a federal crime of terrorism. During the hearing, they pointed to the charge of aiding and abetting in the destruction of government
property.
“Because the defendant has been indicted on an enumerated offense ‘calculated to influence or affect the conduct of government’ the defendant has been charged with a federal crime of terrorism as defined under (United States Code),” prosecutors said in the court filing. “Therefore, an additional basis for detention under (United States Code) is applicable.”
However, federal judge Amit P. Mehta said he wanted to learn more about the government’s position and asked for prosecutors and federal public defender Michelle Peterson to write a brief and file it with the court by Thursday evening. A new date for the detention hearing was set for Friday.
The judge said that the ruling could have an impact on both Watkins’ case and other Capitol riot defendants as they make their way through the judicial system.
The hearing Tuesday was held after a number of court documents were filed in the case arguing whether Watkins should be allowed to leave jail pending trial. The defense argued that Watkins is not a flight risk or a danger to the community and should be allowed out of jail on bond.
The judge did say during the hearing that he wasn’t convinced that Watkins was a flight risk.
Meanwhile, prosecutors argued that she should be kept locked up until trial.
“This court should thus order the defendant remain held pending trial for her brazen and unapologetic participation in offenses that are among ‘the more threatening to our way of life,” they said.
Butler County Jail
In a motion filed over the weekend leading up to Tuesday’s hearing, the defense team alleged that Watkins was mistreated at a local jail.
“She had a documented injury to her arm, but it went untreated,” according to the court document filed over the weekend. “She went on a hunger strike to get medical attention, but instead of medical attention, she was stripped naked and put on suicide watch. Ms. Watkins was left naked in a cell with lights on 24 hours a day for four days in full view of everyone else.”
In a Monday filing, the attorneys said the Butler County Sheriff ’s Office had been in contact.
“Counsel has been contacted by the Butler County (Sheriff ’s Office), which disputes the description of Ms.
Watkins’ treatment at their facility, but acknowledges she was placed on suicide protocols,” the filing says. “Ms. Watkins denies ever being suicidal or expressing suicidal thoughts, and stands by her assertions she was placed on suicide watch for retaliatory reasons despite repeated assertions that she was not suicidal.”
Butler County Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy Anthony Dwyer told the Dayton Daily News that when Watkins was processed into the jail, she was kept separate from other inmates at her request for her safety.
He said he can’t comment on medical issues, including whether an inmate was placed on suicide watch after being processed into the jail.
“What we can tell you is if someone we believe has suicidal ideations, we do have a suicide protocol we put in place,” he said. “We take suicide prevention very seriously.”
That process can include putting inmates in cells with the lights on so corrections officers can see them. But the inmates are given heavy gowns to wear that are specifically designed so they can’t be used to commit suicide.
“No one gets stripped naked and placed in a cell for any length of time. That does not occur in our jail,” he said.
He said if an inmate has an injury, the jail has 24/7 medical staff on hand to treat them.
Dwyer said the Butler County Sheriff’s Office reached out to the federal public defender to say if Watkins provides a medical release form, they can provide the court with records about any treatment Watkins may have received.
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