Central Texas vineyard owner set to stand trial for role in Jan. 6 Capitol riot

WACO, Texas (KWTX) – A Central Texas winery proprietor who claims he merely received swept up by fellow Trump supporters throughout final yr’s U.S. Capitol rebellion and had no intention of harming anybody or the historic image of democracy is about to face trial Monday in Washington, D.C.

Christopher Grider, 40, proprietor of Kissing Tree Vineyards in Bruceville-Eddy, is charged by authorities prosecutors with three felonies and 6 misdemeanor counts for his function within the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot following a rally for then-President Donald J. Trump.

Grider has waived his proper to a jury and has requested for what is called a bench trial, with U.S. District Decide Colleen Kollar-Kotelly of the District of Columbia presiding. Officers count on the trial to final not more than three days.

“We imagine the decide might be honest and neutral whereas additionally being higher geared up to know the complicated software of the regulation to the details,” Grider’s lawyer, Brent Mayr, of Houston, stated Friday. “Each judges and juries are lastly recognizing that federal prosecutors are overcharging defendants for his or her actions on Jan. 6 and acquitting them of a few of these prices. We hope Decide Kollar-Kotelly will do the identical.”

Grider has rejected plea presents from prosecutors on a minimum of two events, saying he’s unwilling to plead responsible to felonies that he and his lawyer are satisfied “are usually not legally or factually sustainable.” If convicted of all the fees, he faces a most federal jail sentence of 39½ years.

Mayr declined remark when requested about Grider’s demeanor on the eve of trial, however reiterated that Grider is sorry for his actions.

“Chris completely regrets what he did that day and desires the decide to acknowledge that,” Mayr stated. “On the similar time, he needs the decide and everybody to acknowledge that he didn’t go there to cease the (election) certification proceedings.”

Grider can been seen in images and capitol safety digital camera footage coming into the capitol by means of an open door and dashing upstairs with others to an space exterior a foyer adjoining to the place members of Congress have been assembly on the time. He was carrying a crimson “Make America Nice Once more” cap and cloaked in a yellow “Don’t Tread on Me” flag.

Plenty of movies, together with photographs from Grider’s personal cellphone, point out that Grider was among the many first to reach exterior the foyer door and was inside a number of toes of fellow protestor Ashli Babbit when she was shot and killed by a Capitol police officer.

Video reveals Grider holding a black onerous hat and pushing and kicking the door to the Speaker’s Foyer. One other man is punching the glass window when Grider arms him the onerous hat, seems to point to him that the helmet is sturdy, after which the person makes use of the onerous hat to proceed making an attempt to interrupt the glass.

After the riot, Grider performed an interview with KWTX by which he described his shock at witnessing Babbitt getting shot whereas she tried to climb by means of the identical window.

“At that time, we have been all panicked,” Grider informed KWTX. “We couldn’t depart as a result of there have been 1000’s of individuals behind us pushing us ahead.”

He stated he and a good friend went to Washington to point out assist for Trump.

“The president requested individuals to come back and present their assist,” he stated. “I really feel prefer it’s the least that we are able to do. It’s sort of why I got here from Central Texas all the best way to DC.”

Mayr has stated that Grider served within the Nationwide Guard and within the Air Drive. He additionally has labored as a instructor and a safety guard. He surrendered to federal authorities in Austin in January 2021 and remained in custody for a month earlier than former U.S. District Decide Ketanji Brown Jackson granted his request to be launched on bond with an ankle monitor. Brown Jackson is now an affiliate justice on the U.S. Supreme Court docket.

A superseding indictment in opposition to Grider prices him with felony civil dysfunction, whereas Rely 2, additionally a felony, prices him with obstruction of an official continuing. Rely 3, a felony, prices him with destruction of presidency property, whereas Rely 4 prices him with coming into and remaining in a restricted constructing or floor.

Rely 5 prices Grider with remaining in a restricted constructing or grounds; Rely 6 prices partaking in bodily violence in a restricted constructing or grounds; Rely 7 with disorderly conduct in a Capitol constructing; Rely 8 with act of bodily violence within the Capitol grounds or constructing; and Rely 9 with parading, demonstrating or picketing in a Capitol constructing.

Copyright 2022 KWTX. All rights reserved.