Kentucky man charged in U.S. Capitol riot apologizes for his ‘poor behavior choices’
A Kentucky man charged in the Jan. 6 Capitol riot has apologized and offered to plead no contest to his charges, according to federal court records.
Damon Michael Beckley, who was arrested by the FBI on Jan. 17, sent an email written on his behalf last week to a federal judge. Beckley offered to change his plea and asked the court to consider probation instead of imprisonment in his case. Beckley admitted in the email that he made “poor behavior choices.”
Beckley also asked the court to support sending his apology letter “to Former Vice President Mike Pence for wrongfully implicating him as being part of the cause of the rioting on January 6th.”
Beckley asked that he be permitted to pay any potential restitution in community service and for the court and FBI to loosen some restrictions imposed on him. He wanted the FBI to return the electronics the agency confiscated.
“None have anything to do with any crimes,” the email read. His phone and his laptop had important business information on them, according to Beckley.
Beckley wrote that an attacker stole his phone while he was in Washington, D.C. He asked that the FBI find his attacker.
“This person (whomever it is) has the ability to post things online as if they were Mr. Beckley,” the email read.
Beckley also asked the court to lift travel restrictions because he was seeking investment opportunities that couldn’t be carried out electronically and he had construction materials and personal items in public storage in Indiana. Beckley’s travel was previously restricted to Kentucky and Washington, D.C., where he could only go for court purposes, according to a federal order.
Beckley asked the court to lift restrictions that kept him from posting online about the D.C. rally or U.S. government matters. The email stated that “he and his family have received many threats online, some severe.”
“His family and group are being painted online by several in the media as white supremacists, part of hate groups, etc. (All which couldn’t be further from the truth as he and his family are vehemently opposed to all forms of racism and other descriminations),” the email read.
“These online accusations are causing radical factions to draw lines where they view him and his family as their enemies. We wish for no enemies and need to defend our innocence of these claims/matters.”
Beckley asked to be allowed to possess a gun once he has completed all the court’s demands. He was initially barred from having any weapon.
Beckley’s email was sent to a case manager in the Western District of Kentucky federal court, where Beckley appeared after being arrested. But his case was transferred to Washington, D.C., after his initial appearance and bond hearing. Kentucky U.S. Magistrate Judge H. Brent Brennenstuhl told Beckley that Brennenstuhl didn’t have any further jurisdiction in the case.
“To the extent you wish to have any modification to your bond considered, that must be pursued with the District of Columbia as well,” Brennenstuhl wrote in reply to Beckley. “As to your proposed plea, you may only enter a plea in this judicial district if both the United States’ Attorneys for the Western District of Kentucky and the District of Columbia consent.”
Beckley was charged with the unlawful entry of a restricted building and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds as a result of his alleged involvement in the Capitol riot, according to the FBI.
He was filmed at the Capitol on Jan. 6, saying, “we aren’t putting up with this tyrannical rule. If we’ve got to come back here and start a revolution and take all of these traitors down, which is what should be done, then we will.”
The video was used to help the FBI identify and charge Beckley, according to an affidavit filed in federal court.
This story was originally published February 2, 2021 at 7:42 AM.