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Federal prosecutors try to prove Central Florida Oath Keepers encouraged violence on Jan. 6

Kelly Meggs & Kenneth Harrelson on trial for seditious conspiracy

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The trial of two Central Florida members of the Oath Keepers completed its second week with prosecutors attempting to show that they conspired to engage in violence on Jan. 6, 2021.

Kelly Meggs, of Dunnellon, and Kenneth Harrelson, of Titusville, are charged with seditious conspiracy with other members of the Oath Keepers, including its leader Elmer Stewart Rhodes.

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According to sources at CBS News, Special Agent Kelsey Harris, who investigated the Florida contingent of the far-right group, testified this week about the intense rhetoric and planning that preceded the Jan. 6 attack.

Prosecutors alleged Meggs wrote in a group chat on Dec. 22, 2020, “It’s gonna be wild…It’s gonna be wild….He called us all to the Capitol and wants us to make it wild…Sir Yes Sir!!”

This artist sketch depicts the trial of Oath Keepers leader Stewart Rhodes and four others charged with seditious conspiracy in the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol attack, in Washington, Thursday, Oct. 6, 2022. Shown above are, witness John Zimmerman, who was part of the Oath Keepers North Carolina Chapter, seated in the witness stand, defendant Thomas Caldwell, of Berryville, Va., seated front row left, Oath Keepers leader Stewart Rhodes, seated second left with an eye patch, defendant Jessica Watkins, of Woodstock, Ohio, seated third from right, Kelly Meggs, of Dunnellon, Fla., seated second from right, and defendant Kenneth Harrelson, of Titusville, Fla., seated at right. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathryn Rakoczy is shown in blue standing at right before U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta. (Dana Verkouteren via AP) (Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

They contended it was in response to former President Trump’s tweet on Dec. 19, 2020, describing his Jan. 6 rally as “wild.”

Defense attorneys argued that no evidence has been presented so far that show those on trial advocated for storming the Capitol.

“I am going to be very worried every time I look at that case and watch it, because of the potential for mistrial,” said Mark O’Mara.

The criminal defense attorney said he has declined requests to defend other suspects in the Capitol riot case.

He told News 6 he believes there should be a camera inside the federal courtroom during this trial.

“We have an open judicial system, and the more that we can expose the general public to it, the better they’ll know what’s going on,” he said. “Granted, there are warts, and they’ll see them, but the idea of protecting this somehow from one camera, or one pool camera in a courtroom, that lets the rest of us see what’s going on, to me, is something out of the 1930s or ‘40s. This is 2022. It is time for the rest of us to be able to see it on the internet, just like we see everything else.”

The trial enters its third week on Monday.


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About the Author
Erik Sandoval headshot

Erik Sandoval joined the News 6 team as a reporter in May 2013 and became an Investigator in 2020. During his time at News 6, Erik has covered several major stories, including the 2016 Presidential campaign. He was also one of the first reporters live on the air at the Pulse Nightclub shooting.

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