The judge overseeing the trials of some January 6 defendants has agreed to postpone a case until after President-elect Donald Trump's inauguration, as the case may become moot.
Washington, D.C., U.S. District Court Judge Rudolph Contreras, who was appointed by President Barack Obama, said Thursday that defendant William Pope's case could be pushed to next year.
Pope, from Topeka, Kansas, argued that holding his trial over charges relating to the riot at the U.S. Capitol Building on January 6, 2021, before Trump takes office could lead to "a dangerous cycle of escalating retribution as control of the government continues changing hands."
The defendant, who has self-represented since his arrest shortly after the riot, is accused of entering a restricted building, disorderly conduct and obstructing law enforcement.
