Tarrio’s First Court Appearance Since His Sentencing
Enrique Tarrio, the former leader of the far-right group Proud Boys, made his first court appearance since being sentenced to 22 years in prison for his involvement in the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot. On Thursday, Tarrio took the witness stand in defense of Lt. Shane Lamond, a Washington police officer accused of improperly providing him with sensitive police information. Tarrio, who was convicted of seditious conspiracy for his role in the Capitol attack, testified for over three hours, focusing primarily on whether Lamond had warned him about an imminent arrest prior to his arrival in Washington for a pro-Trump rally that later spiraled into violence.
Tarrio’s Controversial Testimony
During the hearing, Enrique Tarrio sparred with the presiding judge, Amy Berman Jackson, and refused to acknowledge text messages between himself and Lamond as authentic. At one point, Tarrio invoked his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination, leading Judge Jackson to pause proceedings and explain the consequences of his refusal to answer questions. Tarrio, who has appealed to exercise his Fifth Amendment rights, disagreed with the judge’s interpretation, arguing that he should retain the right to remain silent when necessary. Judge Jackson warned that refusing to testify could result in contempt or other legal actions.
The Alleged Relationship Between Lamond and Tarrio
The trial of Lt. Lamond, which began earlier this week, centers around accusations that he acted as a “double agent” for the Proud Boys, sending Tarrio and other members sensitive information about police investigations. Federal prosecutors argue that Lamond’s communications with Enrique Tarrio crossed a line, suggesting improper collaboration between the two. Lamond’s defense team, however, contends that it was part of his role as an intelligence officer to build relationships with figures like Tarrio to gather information on the Proud Boys. They argue that the numerous text messages between the two men were taken out of context.
At the heart of the case is a January 4, 2021, message from Lamond to Tarrio. As Tarrio was flying to Washington, Lamond allegedly sent an encrypted message that was automatically deleted within seconds. While prosecutors were unable to retrieve the message, they claim it was a tip-off about an arrest warrant issued for Tarrio related to his involvement in a previous protest. Tarrio denied receiving such a warning, instead suggesting that he deduced his imminent arrest based on the presence of an undercover officer following him from the airport. Tarrio claimed his intention was to use the arrest to draw attention to what he considered the hypocrisy of left-wing protests.
The trial continues to unfold, with prosecutors presenting evidence of numerous communications between Tarrio and Lamond, detailing their interactions and the latter’s support for the Proud Boys. Despite this, Enrique Tarrio maintained that Lamond was not a Proud Boy and described their interactions as focused solely on event security coordination. The outcome of the trial could have significant legal implications, with Lamond facing charges for allegedly aiding a key figure in the Capitol attack.
