Get the latest BPR news delivered free to your inbox daily. SIGN UP HERE
CHECK OUT WeThePeople.store for best SWAG!
Several suspected Capitol rioters appeared together in a virtual court hearing Wednesday, and according to multiple reports, their behavior was wild.
One defendant, Delaware resident Anthony Antonio, tried to blame his decision to breach the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6th on Fox News, going so far as to have his lawyer claim he was suffering from a non-existent condition called “Foxitis” that he’d contracted after becoming “hooked on Foxmania.”
Attorney for Capitol defendant Anthony Antonio said his client had “Foxitus” and “Foxmania” from watching six months of Fox News and started “believing what was being fed to him” by Fox News and the president. pic.twitter.com/aHMppeb1yc
— Ryan J. Reilly (@ryanjreilly) May 6, 2021
This unusual defense was likely based on the unsubstantiated left-wing-crafted narrative that Fox News had incentivized the Jan. 6th riot by offering “fair and balanced” coverage of legitimate 2020 election concerns.
Stunningly enough, this angered one of the other defendants, Landon Kenneth Copeland, who objected and accused Antonio of being full of bullschiff.
Antonio’s lawyer says his client was non-political till he moved in with roomates who had Fox News on all the time. Copeland pipes up with an objection 😅 Judge finally orders the Deputy to mute Copeland.
— M & M Enterprises (@sfoguj) May 6, 2021
[These multi-defendant presentments may not be a good idea – Copeland is objecting to Antonio’s lawyer pleading “Fox-itis”]
Antonio’s lawyer: He stood on the steps exhorting peaceful protest. He smiled at police.
Copeland: I object!
Judge: Please mute Mr. Copeland— Inner City Press (@innercitypress) May 6, 2021
Antonio’s lawyer reportedly repeatedly tried to pull conspicuous tricks like this “Foxitis” claim to boost his client’s image and make it sound as if he’s different — perhaps even better than — the rest of the defendants, Copeland included.
At one point, he reportedly claimed that he’d purposefully chosen only to defend Antonio and told the other defendants, “I don’t represent you people.”
At another point during the hearing, he claimed he knew President Joe Biden and told the prosecutor he looked like MSNBC’s Chris Hayes.
Antonio’s lawyer: I will remember this hearing forever. My client came to me on Jan 20. I was not going to represent anyone from that mess, I was going to say, “I don’t represent you people.”#YouPeople
— Inner City Press (@innercitypress) May 6, 2021
Antonio’s lawyer is laying it on thick – says he knows Biden and would ask him to sponsor him into the DC Bar. Except Biden is not admitted. Also agrees to waiving Speedy Trial Act time, so that “the bad guys” can be prosecuted before his client.
— Inner City Press (@innercitypress) May 6, 2021
Still the cases haven’t formally started. Lawyer for accused insurrectionist Anthony Antonio tells someone (the prosecutor), You look like Chris Hayes of MSNBC. An advocacy tactic?
— Inner City Press (@innercitypress) May 6, 2021
As for Copeland, he certainly seemed to be a more honest defendant.
“I’m going to tell the truth!” he shrieked the second he was taken off mute, according to The Daily Beast.
However, his honesty was coupled with a whole lot of unruly behavior and profanity.
“I don’t like you people … you’re a robot to me … you can’t come get me if I don’t want you to … f–k all of you … f–k all of you!” he reportedly added.
This reportedly prompted the judge to separate him into his own separate Zoom channel away from the other defendants, which in turn spurred him into shrieking, “I wanna talk in open court you motherf–kers!”
At one point during the hearing, Copeland reportedly invited his friends and even his mother onto the Zoom call, but that didn’t go so well.
“Magistrate Judge Robin Meriweather ended up kicking out one of his friends after they chose an ‘expletive’ as their Zoom username,” according to The Daily Beast.
The court eventually recessed for an hour “so court officials could discuss how to proceed given the constant interruptions.”
When the court returned from break, the shenanigans reportedly began anew (*Language warning):
An hour later, the Copeland hearing is back. He is now trying to lecture the court (incorrectly) thinking they read the wrong case number.
“Fuck all of y’all, I am so fucked off right now.”
Court mutes him.
There’s now a mute battle.
As soon as he’s muted, he unmutes.
— Ryan J. Reilly (@ryanjreilly) May 6, 2021
Court figured out how to permanently mute him, and we’re now moving along.
— Ryan J. Reilly (@ryanjreilly) May 6, 2021
Copeland’s defense attorney reportedly claimed his client was “in a crisis.”
“In my conversations with him, I don’t think he’s being intentionally belligerent. I don’t think he’s competent to proceed right now,” his attorney said.
This reportedly angered Copeland, prompting him to sign off from the call but then sign back on 10 minutes later.
Besides cursing out court officials, Copeland also claimed he’s a combat veteran, complained about paying 70 percent in taxes and dared officials to “come get me.”
“I need a bunch of stuff, I’m a veteran, and you owe this to me, I got shot at in Iraq. You guys just done fucked this up. I don’t know who you are. I’m clear out here in the middle of the desert in no man’s land. You can’t come get me if I don’t you to.”
— emptywheel (@emptywheel) May 6, 2021
“The government stealing all my money, 70% seven zero. Come fuck with me. Come get me.”
— emptywheel (@emptywheel) May 6, 2021
As noted before, he seemed to be an honest guy … albeit one “in a crisis.”
DONATE TO BIZPAC REVIEW
Please help us! If you are fed up with letting radical big tech execs, phony fact-checkers, tyrannical liberals and a lying mainstream media have unprecedented power over your news please consider making a donation to BPR to help us fight them. Now is the time. Truth has never been more critical!
- INSIDER: ‘It’s been terrible’ – Strip clubs accused of drugging customers, swindling $1M as part of intricate scheme - March 28, 2024
- Scarborough FUMES over ‘little idiots’ at Fox, spews seething contempt for female hosts who call him ‘liberal’ - March 28, 2024
- Vanderbilt Univ. protest upended when 911 call goes out for tampon emergency, and that’s not the worst of it - March 28, 2024
Comment
We have no tolerance for comments containing violence, racism, profanity, vulgarity, doxing, or discourteous behavior. If a comment is spam, instead of replying to it please click the ∨ icon below and to the right of that comment. Thank you for partnering with us to maintain fruitful conversation.
BPR INSIDER COMMENTS
Scroll down for non-member comments or join our insider conversations by becoming a member. We'd love to have you!