The lawyer for the man pictured wearing a horned hat as he stormed the US Capitol alongside his fellow Trump supporters is now asking the outgoing president to pardon him.
Jacob Chansley's lawyer, Albert Watkins is urging Trump to do the "honorable thing and pardon those of his peaceful followers who accepted the president's invitation," according to a press release on January 14, per ABC 15.
On the morning of January 9, Chansley of Arizona, who is also known as Jake Angeli, turned himself in to the FBI field office in Phoenix.
A shirtless Chansley was seen inside the Capitol building on January 6 wearing a pair of horns, a bearskin headdress, as well as red, white, and blue face paint.
The 33-year-old currently faces a six-count federal indictment and is in custody at a Phoenix federal facility.
"Mr. Chansley is an American; he served honorably in the U.S. military," Mr. Watkins said, per ABC 15. "He has zero criminal history. He is a lover of nature, routinely practices meditation is an active practitioner of yoga, and eats only organic food."
"He took seriously the countless messages of President Trump. He believed in President Trump. Like tens of millions of other Americans, Chansley felt -- for the first time in his life -- as though his voice was being heard," the release continued.
Chansey, who is believed to have been raised in Phoenix and to have attended Moon Valley High School, appeared in court earlier this week where he faced two misdemeanor charges.
It was made public that Chansley was on a very restrictive diet, reportedly for religious reasons, and had not eaten since he was held at the facility.
Chansley's lawyer also stated that his client did not conceal his identity during the breach of the Capitol and did not partake in any violence.
"Mr. Chansley did not hide his identity," Mr. Watkins said in the press release. "He was unarmed. He was not violent. He was not destructive. His attire was consistent with his long-held Shaman beliefs."
"While in the Capitol Building, he followed the instructions of supportive and respectful law enforcement personnel," he continued. "He did not bear arms, but rather, sported a megaphone…so his voice could be heard."
"When alerted to the fact that federal law enforcement officials were interested in him, he immediately and peacefully surrendered himself to the FBI."
"My client had heard the oft-repeated words of President Trump... The words and invitation of a president are supposed to mean something.
"Given the peaceful and compliant fashion in which Mr. Chansley comported himself, it would be appropriate and honorable for the president to pardon Mr. Chansley and other like-minded, peaceful individuals who accepted the president's invitation with honorable intentions."
Jake Angeli is expected to make another court appearance in Phoenix later today (January 15).
.jpg_7IqL68?tr=h-184)
