Crime

New York Attorney Charged With Assaulting Police During January 6th Capitol Riot

He's also has links to 9/11 conspiracy theories.

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John O’kelly

image via court documents

Attorney John O’Kelly, 66, of East Williston, New York, was arrested last week on charges related to the January 6th Capitol riot. He’s facing a panoply of charges, including felony counts of assaulting, resisting, or impeding law enforcement officers and interfering with law enforcement officers during a civil disorder.

In the press release announcing the arrest, it’s noted that O’Kelly allegedly fought an officer over a police baton and pushed a bike rack into a line of officers:

According to court documents, on the afternoon of Jan. 6, 2021, O’Kelly illegally made his way to the West front of the Capitol grounds where rioters were fighting with law enforcement officers attempting to maintain a police barrier. At approximately 2:28 pm, O’Kelly emerged from the crowd and grabbed at the baton of an officer, attempting to take the weapon from the officer. The officer fought back and was able to keep the baton in his possession. O’Kelly then took a step back and pushed a metal bike rack being used to secure the perimeter into the line of officers.

According to court documents, the FBI received a tip about O’Kelly on July 8, 2021, from someone using “open source photo ID software.”

“Following this tip, the FBI reviewed New York Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) photos of John O’Kelly, and used facial recognition software to compare O’Kelly’s DMV photos to footage taken at the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021. Facial recognition software indicated that O’Kelly’s DMV photo matched a second video taken at the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021 by an unknown individual filming with what appears to be a cellular telephone.”

O’Kelly’s identity was also confirmed by a interview with a family friend who knows O’Kelly personally.

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O’Kelly, a graduate of St. John’s University School of Law, previously worked with the Lawyers’ Committee for 9/11 Inquiry. That group believes that the Twin Towers fell due to pre-planted explosives.

O’Kelly appeared before Eastern District of New York Magistrate Judge Steven Tiscione, and was released on a $100,000 bond.

Kathryn Rubino is a Senior Editor at Above the Law, host of The Jabot podcast, and co-host of Thinking Like A Lawyer. AtL tipsters are the best, so please connect with her. Feel free to email her with any tips, questions, or comments and follow her on Twitter (@Kathryn1).

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