CHARLOTTE — The fate of Jan. 6 rioters is something President Donald Trump said he would address during his 2024 presidential campaign and leading up to his inauguration.
A lawyer who represented people convicted for their actions that day said no matter what Trump does, it’s too late.
“The whole journey definitely gave me a different insight into the legal system than looking at it from the outside,” said Stephen Horn, of Raleigh, who was convicted in 2021 on four misdemeanors for entering the U.S. Capitol.
Horn said he was in the U.S. Capitol as an independent journalist recording the events.
He said he served his sentence so a pardon would be vindication.
“For me, the punishment is over at this point,” Horn said. “So, in terms of that, a pardon doesn’t mean much but I know it would mean a lot to other Jan. 6 defendants who are still in jail.”
Horn is one of dozens of people from North Carolina charged with crimes committed that day.
Albert Watkins is a lawyer who represents one of them, Bradley Bennett, who is from the Charlotte area.
He said Trump should have issued pardons for some people charged with crimes in 2021 before he left office the first time.
“If Trump were serious about it, he would have done something before he left office,” Watkins said. “But he didn’t. So now it’s, in my opinion, a day late and a dollar short. All that being said, better late than never.”
Watkins said he believes some punishments were too harsh but some crimes committed were worthy of prosecution.
“There are those who committed acts of violence for which pardons are not, in my opinion, appropriate,” Watkins said. “But a very significant number of people involved in Jan. 6 were not violent.”
More than 30 people from the Carolinas were charged for crimes allegedly committed on that day.
Video: Rock Hill family participated in Jan. 6 riots, according to FBI affidavits
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