Jan. 6 rioter taken into custody after threatening posts targeting Justice Barrett, AG Garland
Written by ABC AUDIO on August 7, 2024
(WASHINGTON) — A Nevada man awaiting trial for charges stemming from his alleged participation in the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol was taken into custody this week for a series of threatening statements prosecutors say he made targeting public officials, including Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett and Attorney General Merrick Garland.
According to court records obtained by ABC News, prosecutors moved to revoke Bradley Nelson’s bail following a series of statements and social media posts as recent as last month — that included an image posted Garland with crosshairs drawn on his head. Prosecutors moved to revoke his bail two days after his post about Garland.
Another post that concerned prosecutors targeted Barrett and followed the Supreme Court’s decision in Fischer v. United States involving an obstruction statute leveled against dozens of Jan. 6 rioters, including Nelson himself. Justice Barrett notably dissented from a majority opinion that significantly narrowed the statute’s use against participants in the Capitol attack.
“I pray to God with all my [expletive] heart that somebody cuts your [expletive] throat from ear to ear you worthless piece of [expletive],” Nelson allegedly posted of Barrett roughly an hour after the court’s ruling was made public.
Other posts flagged by prosecutors included an image posted by Nelson in August of 2023 of Judge Scott McAfee, the Georgia judge overseeing Trump’s election interference case brought by the Fulton County District Attorney, with crosshairs over his head.
Nelson also allegedly posted an image of New York Attorney General Letitia James with crosshairs that included the comment he would, “give every [expletive] thing I have to watch that [expletive]’s head explode, or at least the back of her head blowout,” the filing says.
A federal judge in Maryland ordered Nelson detained on Tuesday based on the statements, and also raised concerns about specific recent comments he made about FBI agents involved in his Jan. 6 case that were escalating in recent weeks.
According to the order, Nelson never disputed making any of the specific statements or posts, but instead argued that none amounted to threats, which the judge said he didn’t find convincing.
Whether Nelson continues to remain in custody, however, will be up to the D.C. district judge overseeing his case, Judge John Bates.
Nelson was first arrested in March of 2023 on several charges including entering and remaining on restricted grounds and violent and disorderly conduct in the Capitol.
Prosecutors said Nelson posted extensive sentiments online in advance of the riot about his desire for violence against public officials including Sen. Mitch McConnell and former Attorney General William Barr, though he was not accused of assaulting police during the riot itself.
Nelson has pleaded not guilty to all charges and is set to go to trial in December.
Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
