The defendant stated he was once in the beginning conflicted about attending the “Prevent the Thieve” rally and located the speeches unimpressive, including that he went as much as the entrance of america Capitol after seeing other folks strolling away with accidents, telling the jury he was once “programmed” to lend a hand in the ones circumstances.
In line with Webster, he handiest tackled the officer, Noah Rathbun, after Rathbun taunted him to come back around the fence line for a combat and punched him within the head. The hit, Webster stated, was once “like getting hit with a hammer,” including that he began seeing stars and was once scared.
Webster’s telling of the development ran in virtually whole contradiction to officer Rathbun’s testimony Wednesday. In line with Rathbun, it was once Webster who taunted him to combat, yelling for the officer to “take my shit off,” Rathbun testified. The officer additionally says he by no means punched Webster and handiest “made touch by the way along with his face” after Webster persevered to push in opposition to the steel fence setting apart the rioters and police.
After the touch, Webster says he swung his flagpole on the steel fence to thrust back Rathbun. “I used to be seeing stars,” Webster testified.
In line with Webster, Rathbun then separated the fencing. “He is coming after me,” Webster testified considering on the time, “I am afraid. He is long past rogue.”
He then ran at Rathbun and the officer “more or less fell down,” Webster stated, including that he “grabbed the clear out” of Rathbun’s fuel masks “and simply driven up.”
“I simply sought after him to peer my arms,” Webster testified. “It was once frightening … he was once preventing again.”
It was once right here that Rathbun testified he “was once now not ready to respire” as a result of Webster was once pulling his chin strap up into his neck.
“He knocked me down … grabbed my helmet and began pulling me,” Rathbun stated Wednesday.
Webster will proceed his testimony Friday morning with Pass judgement on Amit Mehta presiding.
