A federal appeals court in Washington, DC, has determined that some defendants involved in the Capitol riot on January 6, 2021, had their sentences improperly increased. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit ruled that defendant Larry Rendall Brock’s sentence included charges of “interference with the administration of justice” in error.
As a result, a new sentence has been ordered for the retired Air Force officer, which could have implications for other cases related to the events of that day. Circuit Judge Millett, who authored the court’s opinion, stated that interference with Congress’ certification of the electoral votes in the 2020 presidential election should not be considered for sentence enhancement.
“Brock challenges both the district court’s interpretation of Section 1512(c)(2)’s elements and the sufficiency of the evidence to support that conviction. He also challenges the district court’s application of the three-level sentencing enhancement for interfering with the ‘administration of justice.’”
The Washington’s U.S. attorney’s office spokesperson, Patricia Hartman, stated that the AP report highlights the application of the enhancement in over 100 other cases involving defendants from January 6. This enhancement was based on the substantial interference with the administration of justice caused by Brock’s conduct.