Jan. 6 rioter guilty of beating cop so hard he snapped flag pole in half
A January 6 rioter was found guilty this week of beating an officer so hard with a flag pole that it snapped in half.
Utah resident Odin Meacham, 30, was convicted in D.C. Tuesday of "seven felonies: civil disorder; two counts of assaulting, resisting, or impeding law enforcement officers with a dangerous weapon; assaulting, resisting, or impeding law enforcement officers; engaging in physical violence on restricted grounds with a dangerous weapon; disorderly conduct on restricted grounds with a dangerous weapon; and entering and remaining on restricted grounds with a dangerous weapon," the Justice Department said in a statement.
The government accused Meacham of driving from Utah to Washington, D.C., to attend then-President Donald Trump's Stop the Steal rally on Jan. 6. Following Trump's speech, he joined rioters who were attacking Capitol Police.
"Meacham rushed towards several police officers guarding the Lower West Terrace, raised a wooden flagpole over his head, and slammed the flagpole against the upper body of a Capitol Police Officer so hard that the flagpole snapped in half," the statement said. "Meacham then swung the broken flagpole at officers again, striking a bike rack that had been placed in front of the officers for protection."
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Meacham then abandoned the flagpole for a black metal pole, which he allegedly used to strike another officer.
At one point, Meacham urged other rioters to "lean in" and continue to fight.
"Shortly afterwards, Meacham raged at the line of officers, calling them various profanities, and asking if they were scared," the statement added.
He is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge John D. Bates on Sept. 26.
"In the 41 months since Jan. 6, 2021, more than 1,450 individuals have been charged in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including more than 500 individuals charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement, a felony. The investigation remains ongoing," the Justice Department said.