(Washington) A far-right activist from Texas, tried for his participation in the violent assault on the United States Congress on January 6, 2021, saw his defense undermined Thursday by the harrowing testimony of his own son who had him reported to the police.
Posted at 6:11 p.m.
Guy Reffitt, 49 and from Wylie, near Dallas, is accused of having been one of the leaders of the wave of hundreds of demonstrators who had attacked the seat of American democracy when the elected officials certified the victory of the Democrat Joe Biden for President.
He pleads not guilty, ensuring that he has not broken any law or been aggressive against the police. He faces up to 20 years in prison after this first trial against an assailant on January 6.
This member of the far-right “Three Percenters” militia, who had shown little emotion until then, burst into tears several times while listening to the testimony of his son, Jackson.
The 19-year-old said his “very good” relationship with his father had deteriorated since 2016.
In December 2020, his father attacked American politicians on the family discussion group: “I am going to Washington. They all have to go,” adding, “What is going to happen is going to shake the whole world.”
When he returned to Wylie, his father had his AR-15 automatic rifle and handgun in his car, the young man said.
Guy Reffitt later claimed, in a conversation recorded secretly by his son, that many demonstrators had come to Washington armed like him, in violation of federal laws.
Jackson Reffitt also testified that his father had threatened him with death: “If you denounce me, you are a traitor. And the traitors, we kill them”.
“Terrified” by these words, he had decided to transmit the recorded conversation to the FBI and his father had been arrested a few days later.
His family “took it very badly” when he reported his father and Jackson left the family home.
“I don’t regret it, it’s the best thing that could happen,” he explained to conclude his testimony, his voice overwhelmed with emotion.
The verdict will be scrutinized in the light of the number of arrests (more than 750) and charges in this investigation of historic magnitude and which continues more than a year after the facts.
In order to avoid a trial, more than 200 defendants have pleaded guilty and about 70 of them have already been sentenced in federal courts. The heaviest sentence was five years in prison.