On Wednesday, the Supreme Court announced its intention to review a pivotal case that could potentially overturn charges related to the Capitol riot on January 6, 2021, including those against former President Donald Trump.
The review focuses on three defendants—Joseph Fischer, Edward Jacob Lang, and Garrett Miller—accused of obstructing the congressional certification of the 2020 election. Additionally, Trump faces obstruction charges in a separate federal case led by special counsel Jack Smith.
The trial is scheduled for March 4, prompting Smith to seek the Supreme Court’s input on Trump’s potential immunity from prosecution. The Supreme Court is expected to discuss the obstruction charge in March or April, with a decision anticipated by early summer, as reported by The Associated Press.
The debates over these obstruction charges intensified when U.S. District Judge Carl Nichols, appointed by Trump, argued that prosecutors had applied the law too broadly.
The Justice Department contested Nichols’ decision, and the D.C. appeals court supported the prosecutors, finding Nichols’ interpretation overly narrow.
Defense attorney Kira Anne West, who has defended numerous Jan. 6 defendants facing obstruction charges, noted that if the Supreme Court rules in their favor, the courts may need to overturn numerous cases and modify several sentences.
“This is a watershed day,” she said. “In our world — defense lawyer world — this is huge.”
Significantly, in addition to the mentioned trio of men, numerous other defendants linked to the Capitol riot, including Trump, are challenging the obstruction charge. This charge has been applied to over 300 individuals implicated in the events of January 6, 2021.
