A judge sentenced a Jan. 6 defendant who assaulted a former D.C. police officer during the Capitol riot to prison, but that officer fears the sentence won’t be served.
On Jan. 6, 2021, Officer Michael Fanone was assaulted so badly at the U.S. Capitol he suffered a heart attack and a traumatic brain injury.
“I think that is the most difficult experience that I've got to live with for rest of my life is just being betrayed by your country,” he said.
Fanone said he’s attended court hearings for at least six insurrectionists, including one on Friday for 59-year-old Lewis Snoots of Virginia. Snoots pleaded guilty last year and was sentenced to almost six years in prison for pushing Fanone and helping others assault him.
We've got the news you need to know to start your day. Sign up for the First & 4Most morning newsletter — delivered to your inbox daily. Sign up here.
Fanone believes the sentence is fair if it holds up.
“I was disappointed that the judge did not step him back to begin serving his sentence immediately, because, like you said, there’s the possibility that he will receive a pardon,” he said
President-elect Donald Trump promised to pardon all Jan. 6 defendants as soon as he gets into office.
Almost 1,600 people have been charged with federal crimes related to the Jan. 6 insurrection, and more than 1,000 have been sentenced.
“He's referred to them as political prisoners, hostages and great American patriots,” Fanone said. “And the American people still chose to elect him as their next president.”
Fanone retired in December 2021 and has remained very vocal about what happened to him Jan. 6. He said ever since then, he and his family have been harassed and received threats.
If the pardons do happen, he plans to file restraining orders against some of the defendants.
“Many of them are serving lengthy sentences,” Fanone said. “Some of them have been incarcerated for a number of years now. And in my experience as a law enforcement officer, I would imagine that they harbor some ill will towards me and my family.”