On January 6, a Donald Trump supporter tased a cop during the violent melee at the U.S. Capitol
‘Father figure’
A Donald Trump supporter who viewed him as his ‘father figure’ will spend a decade behind bars after jamming a cop officer with an electroshock device in the neck during the violent melee at the U.S. Capitol. Daniel “DJ” Rodriguez shouted, “Trump won!” after being sentenced to prison for his role in the January 6 riot. The incident happened during Trump’s supporters stormed the Capitol building to certify President Joe Biden’s 2020 electoral win, Law and Crime said.
Authorities convicted Rodriguez, 40, of four felony counts, including conspiracy and obstruction of an official proceeding. He was also convicted of obstructing justice and assaulting a law enforcement officer with a dangerous weapon. According to the reports, Rodriguez had bragged about putting a stun gun in the neck of Metropolitan Police Officer Michael Fanone, who was rushed to the hospital due to a heart attack and other injuries during the mob.
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During the trial, Judge Amy Berman Jackson requested a term of 14 years in prison than to less than six years sought by Rodriguez. Attorneys argued that Rodriguez grew up without a dad and as Trump as a father, “he wished he had.” Fanone said he felt nothing but antipathy toward Rodriguez. During the hearing, “He ceased to exist to me long ago. Any compassion or empathy I felt toward those who laid siege to our Capitol, whose actions I felt was at least in part of the influence by their leader Donald Trump,” Fanone wrote in a statement.
Rodriguez somehow showed remorse to the MPD. He made a tearful confession when he admitted to using an electroshock weapon against Fanone. Prosecutors also mentioned Rodriguez writing a letter about war, revolution, tyrants, and traitors, and never aimed to write even one peaceful gathering. Jackson ordered another 36 months of supervised release following his prison sentence and a restitution of $2,000 toward the estimated $2.9 million in damage to the Capitol and $96,927 in damage to the MPD. Jackson also convicted two other companions of Rodriguez – Edward BAdalian and Albuquerque Cosper Head. Badalian will be sentenced in July, while Head was sentenced to 7.5 years in prison.