An Iowa man who was indicted for his involvement in the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection is looking to be released from jail prior to his arraignment hearing, saying that he “fell victim” to QAnon conspiracy theories.
Doug Jensen has been behind bars since January, when he was arrested in Des Moines, Iowa just two days after returning. He was later indicted on several charges, including assaulting officers and obstructing an official proceeding, according to ABC News.
Jensen is set to be arraigned on Tuesday, with his lawyer, Christopher Davis now alleging that the insurrectionist has been “languishing” in a D.C. jail. Davis said that Jensen is “locked down most of the time, he feels deceived, recognizing that he bought into a pack of lies” from Donald Trump. Jensen claimed that he only traveled to D.C. to observe the day’s events and show off his QAnon t-shirt, believing himself to be a “true patriot.”
Jensen said he’s “a victim of numerous conspiracy theories that were being fed to him over the internet by a number of very clever people, who were uniquely equipped with slight, if any, moral or social consciousness.”
Viral videos show Jensen confronting Capitol Police Officer Eugene Goodman, and other officers, after Jensen and a group of rioters were some of the first to burst into the Capitol. Jensen can be seen wearing a QAnon t-shirt emblazoned with the group’s motto. Prosecutors say that a number of videos show Jensen attacking Goodman, but Jensen’s attorney claims that Goodman “threatened” Jensen, who had a pocket knife for “protection.”
His other charges include entering a restricted building with a dangerous weapon and disorderly or disruptive conduct in a restricted building with a dangerous weapon, civil disorder, disorderly conduct in a Capitol building and parading, and demonstrating or picketing a Capitol building. The sole charge of obstructing an official proceeding has a maximum sentence of 20 years.
