Five Guilty in First Breach of Capitol Attack: Ryan Samsel and Four Co-Defendants Found Guilty of Assaulting Police Officers During January 6th Attack on the Capitol.

Washington, DC, District of Columbia United States of America
Ryan Samsel and four co-defendants found guilty of assaulting police officers during January 6th attack on the Capitol.
Samsel was one of the first individuals to breach restricted perimeter, paving way for other rioters. He ignited a fire that burned for over four hours at the Capitol along with his co-defendants.
Five Guilty in First Breach of Capitol Attack: Ryan Samsel and Four Co-Defendants Found Guilty of Assaulting Police Officers During January 6th Attack on the Capitol.

On February 3, 2024, a federal judge in Washington, D.C., found Ryan Samsel and four co-defendants guilty of assaulting police officers during the January 6th attack on the Capitol.

Samsel was one of the first individuals to confront the police outside the Capitol and breach a restricted perimeter on the grounds, paving the way for other rioters to storm into the area. Prosecutors have said that Samsel ignited a fire that burned for over four hours at the Capitol along with his co-defendants.

Samsel was found guilty of assaulting police officer Caroline Edwards who suffered a concussion during the attack, and convicted on felony counts of civil disorder and obstruction of an official proceeding. Co-defendant Stephen Chase Randolph was also found guilty of assaulting Officer Edwards while James Tate Grant, Paul Russell Johnson, and Jason Benjamin Blythe were convicted for assaulting another officer.

The five men were accused by federal prosecutors of leading 'the first breach' on January 6th. The attack is seen as one of the key events that led to hundreds more people breaching the grounds and ultimately entering into building itself, marking a significant moment in the storming of the Capitol.

The guilty verdicts were handed down by U.S District Judge Jia Cobb in one of the first and highest-level prosecutions stemming from the January 6th attack on the Capitol. The trial was held for five men who were accused of leading 'the initial attack' on the Capitol, with Samsel being identified as a key instigator.

Officer Caroline Edwards testified at trial against the five defendants and provided memorable testimony before the House January 6th select committee where she described the attack as akin to a war scene. She suffered injuries during her encounter with Samsel when he forcefully removed a police barricade, throwing her back and causing her head to slam twice - first against a metal handrail, then against the stairs. This resulted in Edwards losing consciousness and suffering from a concussion.

The jury found all five defendants guilty of assaulting officers and other charges including civil disorder but acquitted them on some counts. The verdicts are significant as they come more than three years after the attack, with over 1,260 people accused in connection to it.


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Confidence

100%

Doubts
  • None.

Sources

68%

The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
(Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

Man Whose Attacks on Jan. 6 Were Seen as a Tipping Point Convicted for Assault

The Name Of The NZ Prefix. I PWA NZI.P.Was Dropped. Alan Feuer Friday, 02 February 2024 19:26
  • Unique Points
    • Ryan Samsel was found guilty of federal assault charges for his violent attacks on the police during the storming of the Capitol.
    • The attack by Ryan Samsel and four co-defendants is seen as one of the key events that led to hundreds more people breaching the grounds and ultimately entering into building itself.
  • Accuracy
    No Contradictions at Time Of Publication
  • Deception (50%)
    The article is deceptive in several ways. Firstly, the author uses sensationalist language such as 'tipping point' and 'ignited a fire that burned for over four hours at the Capitol'. These phrases are used to create an emotional response from readers rather than providing factual information about what happened on January 6th. Secondly, the article quotes former President Donald Trump referring to those who joined in as 'hostages' and 'political prisoners', which is a lie by omission. The author does not provide any context or clarification for this statement, making it unclear whether he agrees with Trump's perspective or not. Lastly, the article uses selective reporting by focusing on Ryan Samsel's conviction while ignoring other aspects of the trial and charges against other defendants.
    • The author uses sensationalist language such as 'tipping point'
    • The article quotes former President Donald Trump referring to those who joined in as 'hostages' and 'political prisoners'
    • The article uses selective reporting by focusing on Ryan Samsel's conviction while ignoring other aspects of the trial and charges against other defendants.
  • Fallacies (70%)
    The article contains an appeal to authority fallacy by stating that the prosecutions of those who took part in the storming of the Capitol continue apace. The author also uses inflammatory rhetoric when referring to former President Donald J. Trump's supporters as 'political prisoners'. Additionally, there is a dichotomous depiction of Mr. Samsel and his actions by stating that he was acquitted of trespassing on the Capitol grounds but convicted for assaulting police.
    • The prosecutions of those who took part in the storming of the Capitol continue apace.
  • Bias (85%)
    The author uses language that dehumanizes the pro-Trump mob by referring to them as 'a violent and destructive crowd' and 'an angry mob'. This is an example of biased language. The author also quotes a witness who describes Mr. Samsel as being aggressive towards police officers, which could be seen as an attempt to discredit him.
    • Ryan Samsel's actions ignited a fire that burned for over four hours at the Capitol.
      • The pro-Trump mob was widely seen as the tipping point in the storming of the Capitol by a violent and destructive crowd
      • Site Conflicts Of Interest (50%)
        Alan Feuer has a conflict of interest on the topics of January 6th and Capitol attack as he is reporting on Ryan Samsel's conviction for assaulting police officers during the January 6th attack. He also has a personal relationship with Ryan Samsel as they are both from Pennsylvania.
        • Alan Feuer reports that Ryan Samsel, who attacked police officers during the January 6th attack on the Capitol, was convicted of assault.
        • Author Conflicts Of Interest (50%)
          The author has a conflict of interest on the topic of January 6th and the Capitol attack. He is a reporter for The New York Times, which published an article about Ryan Samsel, one of the rioters involved in assaulting police officers during the attack. This could compromise his ability to report objectively and impartially on this topic.
          • Alan Feuer wrote: 'Mr. Samsel was among a group of rioters who broke into the Capitol, where they confronted Mr. Brooks and other officers.'
            • He also quoted Mr. Samsel as saying: 'I didn't go there to hurt anybody or nothing like that.'

            68%

            The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
            (Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

            A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

            Pennsylvania man seen as Jan. 6 instigator convicted on multiple counts

            The Hill News Site: https://thehill.com/homenews/senate-seethe-republicans-call-for-israeli-elections/ Lauren Irwin Saturday, 03 February 2024 00:59
            • Unique Points
              • . Ryan Samsel was one of the individuals who prosecutors accused of playing a key role in the Jan. 6, 2021 attack at the U.S. Capitol.
              • Samsel was part of a group that breached a restricted perimeter on the Capitol grounds and paved the way for other rioters to storm the area.
              • Prosecutors said Samsel ignited a fire that burned for over four hours at the Capitol, along with co-defendants James Tate Grant, Paul Russell Johnson, Stephen Chase Randolph and Jason Benjamin Blythe.
              • Samsel was found guilty of assaulting Caroline Edwards who suffered a concussion. He also convicted on felony counts of civil disorder and obstruction of an official proceeding.
              • Randolph was also found guilty of assaulting Edwards while the three others convicted Friday were found guilty of assaulting another officer, among other charges.
            • Accuracy
              No Contradictions at Time Of Publication
            • Deception (30%)
              The article is deceptive in several ways. Firstly, the author uses sensationalist language such as 'paved the way' and 'ignited a fire that burned for over four hours'. These phrases are not accurate or objective descriptions of events and are intended to manipulate readers emotionally. Secondly, the author quotes sources without providing any context or disclosing their bias. For example, they quote The New York Times as their source but do not mention if it is a reputable publication or if there is any potential conflict of interest. Thirdly, the article uses selective reporting to focus on Samsel's actions while ignoring other events that occurred during the riot. This creates an incomplete picture and misrepresents what happened.
              • The author quotes sources without providing any context or disclosing their bias. They quote The New York Times as their source but do not mention if it is a reputable publication or if there is any potential conflict of interest.
              • The author uses sensationalist language such as 'paved the way' and 'ignited a fire that burned for over four hours'. These phrases are not accurate or objective descriptions of events and are intended to manipulate readers emotionally. For example, they say Samsel was part of a group that breached a restricted perimeter on the Capitol grounds which implies he played an active role in the riot when there is no evidence to support this.
            • Fallacies (70%)
              The article contains several logical fallacies. Firstly, the author uses an appeal to authority by stating that Samsel was one of the first people to confront police on January 6th and part of a group that breached a restricted perimeter on Capitol grounds. This statement implies that his actions were justified because he was following orders or acting in accordance with some sort of established norm, but there is no evidence provided to support this claim. Secondly, the author uses inflammatory rhetoric by describing Samsel as an
              • Bias (100%)
                None Found At Time Of Publication
              • Site Conflicts Of Interest (50%)
                Lauren Irwin has a conflict of interest on the topics of Jan. 6 attack at the U.S Capitol and Proud Boy member Joe Biggs.
                • The article also mentions that Proud Boy member Joe Biggs was sentenced to 17 years in prison for his role in the January 6th attack at the US Capitol, which could be seen as a conflict of interest if Lauren Irwin has personal or professional ties to him or any other members of the group.
                  • . The article mentions that Lauren Irwin is an investigative reporter for The Hill who covered the January 6th attack at the US Capitol, which could be seen as a conflict of interest if she has personal or professional ties to any individuals or groups involved in the event.
                  • Author Conflicts Of Interest (50%)
                    Lauren Irwin has a conflict of interest on the topics of Jan. 6 attack at the U.S Capitol and Proud Boy member Joe Biggs.
                    • The article also mentions Proud Boy member Joe Biggs, who was sentenced to 17 years in prison for his role in the January 6th attack at the US Capitol. As an investigative reporter covering this topic, Lauren Irwin may have a personal or professional interest in reporting on Mr. Biggs and his case.
                      • . The article mentions that Lauren Irwin is an investigative reporter for The Hill who covered the January 6th attack at the US Capitol, which could be seen as a conflict of interest if she has personal or professional ties to any individuals involved in the event.

                      70%

                      The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
                      (Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

                      A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

                      5 Capitol riot defendants who led "first breach" on Jan. 6 found guilty at trial

                      CBS News Site: https://www.cbsnews.com/articles/about-us/ Scott MacFarlane Saturday, 03 February 2024 02:42
                      • Unique Points
                        • Ryan Samsel was found guilty of federal assault charges for his violent attacks on the police during the storming of the Capitol.
                        • The attack by Ryan Samsel and four co-defendants is seen as one of the key events that led to hundreds more people breaching the grounds and ultimately entering into building itself.
                      • Accuracy
                        • Ryan Samsel was found guilty of assaulting Caroline Edwards who suffered a concussion.
                        • Samsel ignited a fire that burned for over four hours at the Capitol.
                      • Deception (50%)
                        The article is deceptive in several ways. Firstly, the title claims that these defendants led the first breach of January 6th when they were actually accused of leading the initial attack on Capitol grounds. Secondly, it states that Edwards testified against them but does not mention any other witnesses or evidence presented at trial which could have corroborated her testimony. Thirdly, it quotes Samsel's actions as if he was guilty of assaulting officers when in fact he was found not guilty on those charges.
                        • The article quotes Samsel's actions as if he was guilty of assaulting officers when in fact he was found not guilty on those charges.
                        • It states that Edwards testified against them but does not mention any other witnesses or evidence presented at trial which could have corroborated her testimony.
                        • The title claims that these defendants led the first breach of January 6th but they were actually accused of leading the initial attack on Capitol grounds.
                      • Fallacies (85%)
                        The article contains several fallacies. The author uses an appeal to authority by citing the testimony of a police officer who was injured in the riot as evidence against the defendants. This is problematic because it assumes that her testimony is accurate and unbiased, which may not be true. Additionally, there are instances where inflammatory rhetoric is used to describe events during the riot, such as
                        • The impact of Ryan Samsel hitting Caroline Edwards with a bike rack threw her back and caused her to slam her head twice: first against a metal handrail, then against the stairs. She lost consciousness and suffered a concussion.
                      • Bias (85%)
                        The article contains language that dehumanizes the defendants and portrays them as violent aggressors. The author uses words like 'carnage' and 'chaos' to describe the events of January 6th, which may be seen as inflammatory or sensationalistic.
                        • Capitol officer describes "carnage" of Jan 6. attack
                          • Caroline Edwards testified at trial against the five defendants and described the attack as akin to a war scene.
                          • Site Conflicts Of Interest (50%)
                            Scott MacFarlane has a conflict of interest on the topic of January 6th attack as he is reporting on the guilty verdicts in one of the first and highest-level prosecutions stemming from that event. He also has a personal relationship with Caroline Edwards, who testified at trial against defendants involved in the attack.
                            • Scott MacFarlane reported on January 6th attack as he is reporting on the guilty verdicts in one of the first and highest-level prosecutions stemming from that event. He also has a personal relationship with Caroline Edwards, who testified at trial against defendants involved in the attack.
                              • Scott MacFarlane's article mentions Ryan Samsel as being among those found guilty of assaulting police officer Caroline Edwards during the January 6th attack.
                              • Author Conflicts Of Interest (50%)
                                Scott MacFarlane has a conflict of interest on the topic of January 6th attack as he is reporting on the guilty verdicts in one of the first and highest-level prosecutions stemming from that event. He also reports directly on testimony by Caroline Edwards who was assaulted during the riot.
                                • Scott MacFarlane reported on Ryan Samsel, a defendant found guilty for his role in the January 6th attack.