In DC
Insurrection Case Tanios Who Bought Spray
Used On Sicknick Is Detained Lebanon
Sandwich Aura
By Matthew
Russell Lee, Patreon Podcast
BBC
- Guardian
UK - Honduras
- ESPN
FEDERAL COURT,
March 22 – Minutes
into a break in the
impeachment trial in
the U.S. Senate, accused
insurrectionist Domenic
Pezzola was ordered
detained until
trial by
Magistrate
Judge Robin M.
Meriweather.
Inner City
Press live
tweeted it, below. There
was an appeal.
Now on March 22,
George Pierre
Tanios had a
detention
proceeding in the
District of West
Virginia and
was detained.
Inner
City Press
live tweeted,
here:
Case
of US v.
Tanios, in WV
District, goes
global:
government
says detain
him so doesn't
fly to Lebanon
after
allegedly
assaulting
Officer Brian
Sicknick at
the
Capitol.
Witness now in
George Tanios'
mother. She
says, "There
is war in
Lebanon, I
lost family, I
want to come
to US --"
Judge: Sorry
to interrupt
at this time,
but (court
reporter), can
you
understand?
Mrs. Tanios: I
raised my
family by the
courthouse in
New Brunswick
Inner City
Press
@innercitypress
· 1h Mrs
Tanios is
crying. Judge,
to defense
lawyer: I
don't mind if
you ask
leading
questions. Q:
Did you come
to Morgantown
and run a
restaurant
here too? Mrs.
Tanios: Yes.
But it is no
longer there.
I am back in
New Jersey. I
talk to
George, but
not about
politics
Q:
I have one
more question
that might
upset you, but
I have to ask.
It was alleged
that you said
if George is
released, you
would get him
out of the
country? Mrs.
Tanios: Who
said that?
[crying] This
is my country.
God Bless
United States.
Next
witness:
Amanda
Plumley,
George Tanios'
partner, they
have three
kids
together.
Q:
Where did you
meet A: Though
my old
roommate, we
met at his
bar. [Pause,
giggle.] We
met at a bar.
We have a son
who is 4, and
identical
twins this
past summer.
He is fun.
Amanda
Plumley: We
run a sandwich
shop, late
night hours.
Ghost
kitchens. It's
called
Sandwich
University. In
June we moved
to a bigger
place because
of our growing
family.
A: Do you have
guns? Plumley:
They are all
gone now. To a
registered gun
owner Next
witness is Ms.
Shadoe Lowers.
"I am a friend
and former
employee of
George, at his
bar, 4th and
Goal." Q: Were
you Amanda's
roommate who
introduced
them? Lowers:
Yes... When
there were
college bar
fights, he'd
take care of
it with
bouncers, no
violence
himself
Next
witness, last
for the
defense, his
sister, calls
George a
jokester who
worked too
many hours,
she'd tell
him, take time
for your
family. She
worked for him
at a
Morgantown
convenience
store.
Tanios'
lawyer says he
won't get a
trial for a
year, so they
are prepared
to take this
to the DC
Court of
Appeals if
necessary,
says George
was never in
trouble
before. AUSA:
We have shown
video. The
court should
detain him.
Now
judge reverses
himself and
allowed
Tanios' lawyer
to
cross-examine
Special Agent
Palmertree,
after Tanios'
lawyer
objected to
not being
allowed. But
the judge
wants to say
how the
questions
should be
asked. Judge:
I am the
decision-maker.
Q:
What's the
proof that the
assault on
Officer
Sicknick was
something Mr
Tanios knew
about? Special
Agent
Palmertree:
There's no way
to know that.
Q: Did Tanios
know that his
co-defendant
was going to
use bear
spray? Special
Agent
Palmertree:
All we have is
video
Special
Agent
Palmertree: We
were told Mr.
Tanios carried
the backpack
and bought the
bear spray.
Q: Is
that what you
told the Grand
Jury?
AUSA:
Objection!
Judge:
Sustained.
AUSA:
We know that
Officer
Sicknick told
his supervisor
that he had
been sprayed.
Mr. Tanios
purchased the
chemical
spray. In his
residence,
they found the
backpack. Two
unused cans of
bear spray and
the "Sandwich
U" uniform
similar to the
one he wore
AUSA:
We have no
doubt that his
family loves
him. But these
ties were all
in place when
he committed
these acts.
Mr. Tanios
coordinated a
pre-meditated
assault on
these
officers. We
acknowledge he
was not the
one who
sprayed, was
not on the
front line.
AUSA:
We meant no
disrespect to
Mrs Tanios,
but we believe
there is a
network for
Mr. Tanios to
evade these
charges.
Tanios'
lawyer: The
Bail Reform
Act requires
Tanios'
release. And
we can see are
short
fragments of
video that the
government has
chosen.
Tanios'
lawyer: What
do we really
know? That
that is George
Tanios, that
he was there.
That is it.
His mom has no
idea where the
unsubstantiated
talk that he
would flee
came from.
Without his
passport, he
could not
flee.
AUSA
Wagner: The
grand jury
indicted Mr.
Tanios. We
have his
statements to
the gun store
owner, he told
the owner that
he was going
to DC, to the
Capitol. We
ask that you
detain him.
Judge:
It's always a
solemn moment.
He has three
kids, two
twins. But I
think the
context of
everything
that happened
is what
informs me. We
all know what
happened on
January 6.
Judge:
There were no
song of joy
and peace,
only hate and
anger. I don't
know what
draws people
to that. What
causes you get
dangerous
sprays? This
isn't a
weekend visit
to see the
blossoms in
DC. [Things
not looking
good for
Tanios]
Judge:
Did you know
what the spray
was going to
be used for? I
can think of
no good reason
what it was
going to be
used for. You
walk up to the
Capitol, force
yourself
against law
enforcement.
Why not go
home? It's
frightening to
me. It was a
choice.
Judge:
He handed what
was sprayed to
the sprayer. I
can't accept
anyone who
will not
respond to law
enforcement in
other than a
peaceful way.
I accept the
government's
evidence.
There are
people serving
life sentences
for one-time
events. [The
needle is at
90%]
Judge:
The problem is
with the
hearts and
soul of men. I
was shaken
when I saw
those things
happening.
This is the
biggest fear
we should
have. For
these reasons
I am going to
remand you to
the custody of
the Marshals.
We are
adjourned.
Defense: We
will appeal
Inner
City Press
live tweeted
Riley June
Williams on
January 25, here.
From January
22, song here:
Thread here.
Inner City
Press' John Earle Sullivan
song on SoundCloud here.
***
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