Things aren’t looking good for Jacob Chansley (a.k.a. the “QAnon Shaman”). In fact, they’re looking very, very bad.
Chansley, who only eats organic food, currently faces 20 years in prison after being charged with knowingly entering a restricted building without lawful authority and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds in connection to the events of January 6. Now, a judge has just ruled that he has to stay in jail while he awaits trial.
Chansley’s lawyer tried arguing that his client is a peaceful man and needed be released ASAP because COVID-19 restrictions were making it “impossible” for them to communicate in private. Not only that, but Chansley’s faith prevents him from getting the vaccine, so he is particularly vulnerable.
But Judge Royce Lamberth, a senior judge of the United States District Court for the District of Columbia, wasn’t having any of the B.S.
“Defendant characterizes himself as a peaceful person who was welcomed into the Capitol building on January 6th by police officers,” Lamberth wrote in his ruling this week. “The Court finds none of his many attempts to manipulate the evidence and minimize the seriousness of his actions persuasive.”
Related: “QAnon Shaman” would like credit for stopping a muffin thief inside the U.S. Capitol
Lamberth went on to say that Chansley clearly suffers from a severe “detachment from reality” if he thinks his actions during the violent attack on the Capitol, which resulted in five people dying, were somehow peaceful.
The judge also noted that Chansley refused to listen to U.S. Capitol Police and other law enforcement officers during the insurrection, so why should anyone believe he would obey the conditions of his release?
Not only that, but Chansley’s social media posts and footage of him during the riots shouting for “traitors” to be hanged and calling the FBI to brag about how he broke into Senate chambers inspired no faith that he wasn’t a danger to society.
“These are not the actions of a person who is shy about breaking the law,” Lamberth wrote in his ruling.
And with that, Chansley remains in custody for the foreseeable future.
Graham Gremore is the Features Editor and a Staff Writer at Queerty. Follow him on Twitter @grahamgremore.
Fahd
Actions have consequences. Thank goodness a portion of our judicial system is still functioning appropriately. Organic food, indeed!
ericr_wilson
The boy is clearly dysregulated — running around as he does looking deranged…. It’s fortunate that the judge didn’t fall for his lame defense. He was lucky to encounter the judge that ordered that he be fed organic food after his mommy whined on his behalf, because if it was left up to me he’d be eating penitentiary gruel just like all the rest of the prisoners.
BaltoSteve
I wouldn’t be surprised if that was suspended in the near future. Here’s hoping.
Catholicslutbox
At least he didn’t pretend to be an Uber eats driver, like Cade Maddox, to get a vaccine.
TMBisAOK
Oh FFS! That is one of the most ridiculous statements I’ve ever heard! How in the … do you equate someone trying to overthrow the U.S. government to someone who tried to get a shot to save their lives!!!??? We can argue about the ethics of that, but it comes nothing even close to insurrection. SMFH!
missvamp
his “faith” is a joke. he’s grasping at any & all straws as a way to find a get out of jail free card. what a pathetic pile of human dog shit.
Goforit
I wish people would stop referring to him as “Qanon Shaman”. He is nothing more than a white supremacist furry.
scotty
the “new” pepe Le Pew
Cam
The judge also smacked down the lawyer after the lawyer complained that the defendant being in jail made it hard to communicate.
The judge pointed out that the lawyer had no trouble setting up an interview for his client on TV so communication didn’t seem to be a problem.
I’m liking this judge.
Fname Optional Lname
A few moments of research provides information that he has struggled with mental health issues in the past (I know I’m shocked as well) however I don’t think it’s enough for him to claim that he was unaware that his actions were disruptive or illegal. He makes it sound as though the police invited him in for a personal tour yet he and his lawyer have not accounted for his reaction to the hundreds of screaming lemmings who were breaking windows and knocking down barricades. Did he just think that was performance art? Of course he knew his actions were illegal and the mf’er bragged about it on social media immediately, didn’t even wait until he got home! And for all those who are sweating over him, honestly, he looked much better with the make up and horns!
cs1900
Somewhat ironically, one of the old legal tests for claims of not guilty by reason of mental incapacity was, would the defendant have committed the same acts if a police officer was standing beside him? In spirit, I think that works to indicate that, whatever his mental health issues, he was still capable of determining what he was doing was illegal. But in fact, there may well have actually been police standing, at the very least, close by in this instance.
Mack
If you can’t do the time, don’t do the crime. My concern is will the people get a pass as the Bundy group did in Oregon when they occupied the Federal land there.
inbama
Every time I see that photo with his mouth opened so wide and those perfect teeth, I can’t help but see him on his knees in front of Ted Kruger who’s got one hand on each of the those horns…
Cozmo2
This punk bitch is crying wolf. I hope he get 20 years.
radiooutmike
Sure, everyone gets to trot out they’re mentally ill whenever they do something wrong and don’t want to face the consequences.
This disparages people who actually mentally ill and manage not be violent insurrectionists or what have you.
marquez
Invitation to a sex club – xmeet.fun
cuteguy
He can now have an organic eggplant up his organic peach
Dijonaise
He’s pretty hot, I would hate-fu¢k him.
Ginger Tom
The judge was on point throughout. It is at least reassuring how swiftly and effectively the US justice system hunts down and apprehends such minnows and then slaps down all attempts by these miscreants to game the system. It would be even more reassuring if one had any confidence at all that anyone in a position of political power or widespread celebrity would meet with similar treatment to that handed down to the Jacob Chansleys of this world.
The difference is that people like Cruz, Hawley, Stone, Giuiliani and of course Trump himself, and dozens of others, know all about evading justice and gaming the system to their advantage. They are all very likely to walk free, at the end of the day. Because people like that own the justice system.
JanDivine
I don’t think these people realize that they attacked the United States of America. If a foreign country came in and did what they did they would be dead by now.
OhPlease
His profile sounds remarkably like a cover-up for an informant or an undercover officer who is handing over testimony. Prisons don’t move inmates around over dietary restrictions they are required by law to comply with and especially since facilities are now required to grow their own produce. They only do that to alleviate overcrowding to avoid riots or if a prisoner is too high of a high security risk to keep in administrative segregation. Using a mental illness cover story also makes this very suspicious. Many of the white supremacists are in fact undercover agents and a lot of the so-called cells do not actually exist. They are set up for entrapment.
Tombear
The guy was an artistic director for a theater company. Gay, ya think?
joeboyle49
PEACEFUL HELL HE DOESN’T KNOW WHAT PEACEFUL MEANS!! HE WAS IN THERE WITH THE REST OF THE TRASH!!
Josiah Freshmount
He needs to get away from his mama.
That said, I cannot explain it but I find this guy sexy af. I would let him keep those horns on too.
TMBisAOK
You can have those thoughts, but to not fight them in your head and to actually express them in public is quite disturbing. Seriously dude, talk to a therapist about that.
Josh447
I thought he was sexy AF too until I saw him out of costume, then a total deal breaker.