Jan. 6 defendant who sprayed line of police sentenced after tearful apology

“You’re entitled to your governmental views but not to an insurrection,” nan judge said. “You were an insurrectionist.”

Caldwell has remained successful pretrial custody since Feb. 10, 2021 — 721 days, he noted — and was 1 of nan earliest charged pinch a nonstop battle connected constabulary that day.

But Caldwell’s proceeding was astir notable for nan extended look of remorse, delivered almost wholly done tears, to a astir quiet courtroom.

“I must look my actions caput on,” he said, earlier delivering a voluminous apology to nan officers he attacked. “I dream that you and our state ne'er person to look different time for illustration January 6th.”

Caldwell said he spent nan days instantly aft nan onslaught rationalizing what he did and looking for validation from family, friends and his attorney. He said he now looks backmost astatine his actions and “it virtually floors me.”

He described himself arsenic “ashamed” and “embarrassed” astir his behaviour and described efforts to amended himself while successful custody, reference self-help books and reflecting connected really he became a catalyst of unit that day.

“I intelligibly fto my emotions return control,” he said. “Being a Marine, I should person known better. … I wish I could return it back, but I can’t.”

As his sister, 1 of his daughters and her hubby looked on, Caldwell lamented that he’d apt miss nan commencement of his first grandchild while incarcerated and was incapable to repair a “broken relationship” pinch his biologic mother, who passed distant while he was successful pretrial incarceration. He expressed regret that he’d miss his mediate child’s subject deployment and would beryllium incapable to beryllium location for his aging father, who is battling cancer. His youngest boy told family members that he felt for illustration his “dad died,” Caldwell recalled. Caldwell’s wife, now nan sole supplier for nan household, was struggling to get by.

“Knowing their symptom is crushing my heart,” Caldwell said. “I person paid a precocious price, and I judge that I still person to salary more.”

Kollar-Kotelly said she appreciated his connection of apology to nan officers, but arsenic a Marine, he should person directed his apology to nan full country.

She described successful item his onslaught connected officers, noting that 1 serviceman who he sprayed began to “vomit uncontrollably.” The aerial was truthful heavy pinch chemicals that it wasn’t clear whether nan officers he deed were injured by him straight aliases by a operation of factors. No victims delivered statements to nan tribunal up of sentencing.

Kollar-Kotelly besides put his engagement successful nan broader Jan. 6 onslaught successful nan discourse of erstwhile challenges to nan United States government. She said it was important for her condemnation to “fortify against nan revolutionary fervor that you and others felt connected Jan. 6 and whitethorn still consciousness today.”

“Insurrection is not,” she said, “and cannot ever beryllium warranted.”