New York: A man who is widely known as the symbol of the riot at the US Capitol in 2021 has been sentenced on Wednesday to four and a half years in prison.
During the chaos created by President Trump’s supporters at the US Capitol, Richard Barnett was photographed reclining in a chair with his feet on a desk in then-Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s office.
Federal prosecutors sought more than seven years in prison for Barnett’s actions during and after the riot, arguing that his photo from Nancy Pelosi’s office was ‘one of the best-known images of that day’, NBC news reported.
Prosecutors argued that the photo symbolized rioters having taken control of the ‘hallowed space and the political process from the nation’s elected leaders,’ NBC news reported.
Barnett’s lawyers contended that the 63-year-old retired firefighter from rural Arkansas should not get more than 6 years in prison because he came to Washington DC that day for the first time to protest peacefully but was caught up in the events of the day.
However, he was sentenced to 54 months in prison after he was convicted in January on eight charges including entering restricted buildings, possessing dangerous weapons and theft of government property.
Barnett admitted to have left a note for Pelosi at the table which read ‘Nancy, Bigo was here’, followed by what the report said ‘ a sexist expletive’.
Barnett expressed remorse for having put his feet on the desk, saying that at the time he thought it was ‘funny’, but after reflection he found it ‘ crass’.