In a background photo, court records show Jack Wade Whitton using a metal crutch to attack police officers at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.
A man from Georgia was punished for attacking an officer defending the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, when riots took place. He repeatedly hit the officer with a metal crutch and dragged him head-first into a mob of rioters who then beat him.
Jack Wade Whitton, 33, was given a 57-month prison sentence and 36 months of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay $2,000 in restitution. In September, Whitton pleaded guilty to assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers with a deadly or dangerous weapon.
U.S. District Judge Rudolph Contreras scolded Whitton after watching the violent videos, according to NBC News’ Ryan Reilly reported.
“Those videos were horrific,” said Contreras, who was appointed by Barack Obama. “You really lost control.”
Whitton expressed regret, as reported by The Associated Press.
“I can tell you with certainty: I have changed,” Whitton told the judge, as per the wire service.
Whitton’s defense lawyer stated in court documents that he went to Washington at the request of his girlfriend after their initial plans to visit her father in Florida didn't work out.
“Although not interested in former President Trump or politics, Mr. Whitton agreed,” the attorney, Komron Jon Maknoon, wrote in his memo in aid of sentencing.
Without a plan, he and his girlfriend booked a hotel in the Capitol Hill area, learned about the rally, “bought Trump clothing,” and “several mini bottles of Fireball alcohol to drink throughout the day.”
“On the morning of January 6, 2021, Mr. Whitton woke up and took his prescribed Vyvanse,” the lawyer wrote. “Before heading to the ellipse, Mr. Whitton bought several mini bottles of Fireball alcohol to drink throughout the day. He quickly realized that it was a longer walk to the ellipse than expected, and he wasn't used to the cold weather. He was not interested in the day’s events but tried to be a good boyfriend, so Mr. Whitton drank less for entertainment and more to just endure the cold and speeches at the ellipse.”
Court documents describe Whitton’s actions that day when thousands of Donald Trump supporters raided the Capitol.
At one point, Whitton kicked at officers, hit a riot shield, and yelled, “You’re gonna die tonight!”
He climbed a wall between the Lower West Terrace and the Upper West Terrace and threw something at the line of officers before throwing a punch at them.
Afterward, he posted on social media and sent texts before being arrested on April 1, 2021, in Georgia.
In one post, he shared pictures of his bloodied hands, saying, “This is from a bad cop … I handed him over to the people. I don't know his status. And I don’t care to be honest.”
In the government’s sentencing memo, prosecutors requested a 97-month sentence, the maximum under the guideline range.
Prosecutors stated that Whitton took advantage of the chance for violence, causing a sudden outburst of chaos and aggression that other rioters promptly joined.