In videos played during his trial, the 56-year-old former Marine is seen swinging a metal flagpole at D.C. Officer Noah Rathbun before breaking through police barriers at the US Capitol and confronting Rathbun, choking him with the officer’s jaw . In May, Webster was found guilty of all six charges he faced, five of which were felonies.
“As soon as you arrived, Mr. Webster, all hell broke loose,” Judge Amit Mehta said of the police line that Webster broke.
“I’m shocked every time I see it,” Mehta said of the video. “No one pushed you forward, you ran,” the judge added, noting several times how the video starkly contradicted Webster’s own testimony about the attack.
“You’ve created an alternative truth,” Mehta said of Webster’s testimony on the stand in May, adding that his claims of self-defense were “simply not credible” and calling his testimony “totally fictional.”
Webster, who spoke through tears before his sentence was handed down, asked Mehta for “mercy”, saying he “didn’t have the courage to hold back” that day.
“I can never look at my kids the same way again,” Webster said. “The way they see me, it’s different now… I was their hero until January 6.”
Officer Rathbun, dressed in his police uniform, attended the hearing, sitting in the back of the courtroom.
Turning to Rathbun, Webster apologized to the officer, simply saying he was sorry.
During the sentencing, prosecutors noted that Webster brought a firearm to Washington, D.C. — which he left behind on Jan. 6 — and wore his police-issued body armor to the Capitol.
Webster’s attorney, James Monroe, wrote in court that Webster’s actions — which he previously argued were in self-defense and justified — were now “undoubtedly violent and reprehensible,” calling the acts “unspeakable.”
Monroe told Judge Mehta that Webster should be jailed for what she called “seconds of stupidity.”
“He’s such a decent guy,” Monroe said.
Monroe also blamed former President Donald Trump and the Republican Party for turning Webster, and “otherwise decent, law-abiding people … against fellow Americans.”
This story has been updated with additional details.
title: “Thomas Webster Ex Nypd Officer Sentenced To 10 Years In Prison For Assault On Officer On Jan. 6 Klmat” ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-03” author: “Keith Hambrick”
In videos played during his trial, the 56-year-old former Marine is seen swinging a metal flagpole at D.C. Officer Noah Rathbun before breaking through police barriers at the US Capitol and confronting Rathbun, choking him with the officer’s jaw . In May, Webster was found guilty of all six charges he faced, five of which were felonies.
“As soon as you arrived, Mr. Webster, all hell broke loose,” Judge Amit Mehta said of the police line that Webster broke.
“I’m shocked every time I see it,” Mehta said of the video. “No one pushed you forward, you ran,” the judge added, noting several times how the video starkly contradicted Webster’s own testimony about the attack.
“You’ve created an alternative truth,” Mehta said of Webster’s testimony on the stand in May, adding that his claims of self-defense were “simply not credible” and calling his testimony “totally fictional.”
Webster, who spoke through tears before his sentence was handed down, asked Mehta for “mercy”, saying he “didn’t have the courage to hold back” that day.
“I can never look at my kids the same way again,” Webster said. “The way they see me, it’s different now… I was their hero until January 6.”
Officer Rathbun, dressed in his police uniform, attended the hearing, sitting in the back of the courtroom.
Turning to Rathbun, Webster apologized to the officer, simply saying he was sorry.
During the sentencing, prosecutors noted that Webster brought a firearm to Washington, D.C. — which he left behind on Jan. 6 — and wore his police-issued body armor to the Capitol.
Webster’s attorney, James Monroe, wrote in court that Webster’s actions — which he previously argued were in self-defense and justified — were now “undoubtedly violent and reprehensible,” calling the acts “unspeakable.”
Monroe told Judge Mehta that Webster should be jailed for what she called “seconds of stupidity.”
“He’s such a decent guy,” Monroe said.
Monroe also blamed former President Donald Trump and the Republican Party for turning Webster, and “otherwise decent, law-abiding people … against fellow Americans.”
This story has been updated with additional details.
