Julia Shapero
A federal judge dismissed an obstruction charge against a man accused of storming the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, opting for a more narrow reading of federal obstruction law.
Why it matters: The decision could affect hundreds of other Jan. 6 defendants facing a similar charge of obstruction.
- The charge of “Obstruction of an Official Proceeding” appears 176 times in the Department of Justice’s list of Capitol Breach Cases.
Between the lines: D.C. District Judge Carl Nichols said in a 16-page opinion, published on Monday, that ambiguities in the wording of the law require him to take a narrow reading of the law.
- Based on this reading of the law, Nichols said the conduct of the defendant, Garret Miller, falls outside the scope of the law.
- However, Nichols faces a number of other felony charges related to the Jan. 6 riot, according to Politico.
Source: axios.com
