DC Courts v. Fair Trial for J6P

The J6 defendants’ right for trial outside of the DC is grounded in the First Amendment. The First Amendment preserves the right of citizens “to petition the Government for a redress of grievances”. That includes traveling in person from their home states to the DC, the current Seat of the Government. Subjecting citizens exercising this right to a trial by a jury consisting of the officials of the Government, their associates, contractors, clients, relatives etc. obviously violates this right.

Yet, this is what is done to the J6 defendants, almost all of whom are not residents of the DC, an arrived to the DC with the only purpose: “peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances”. Presumption of innocence protects them against  accusation that hey did not assemble peaceably.

Thus, trials of J6 defendants must be moved out of the DC.

The Constitution intentionally limits the size of the Seat of the Government to 10 miles square, too small to form a federal court district, and within very short distance to at least one of the United States. There was no DC federal court until 1936.

DC Courts used precedents of the Nixon associates’ trials to deny J6 defendants’ motions to move their jury trials elsewhere on the grounds of politically hostile jury pool. But the J6 defendants are not DC residents, unlike the Nixon associates. J6 defendants have right to trial elsewhere, probably in their home states, or quick dismissal of the unjust verdicts.

See also Part I DC Jury v. Fair Trial

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