ALBANY A jury quickly convicted Alexander Contompasis of first-degree assault and all other charges Friday for stabbing two members of the far-right Proud Boys outside the state Capitol during a rally on Jan. 6, 2021.
Contompasis, who has been identified on Facebook as an independent journalist and poet, faces the possibility of 40 years in prison after being convicted of the stabbing the menat a "Stop the Steal" rally held in East Capitol Park. It was held the same day that other supporters of former President Donald J. Trump, including Proud Boys members, stormed the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., as Congress prepared to certify President Joseph Biden's victory.
After deliberating roughly three hours and re-watching a video of the incident multiple times in slow motion the jury convicted the 39-year-old Albany manof first-degree assault, which carries up to 25 years in prison;attempted assault in the first degree, which carries up to 15 years in prison;second-degree assault and felony possession of a weapon following a week-long trial before acting Supreme Court Justice Roger McDonough.
Assistant District Attorneys Bryanne Perlanski and Marissa Olsen prosecuted the case, while attorney Jasper Mills represented Contompasis.
Contompasis claimed he was defending himself. Mills said he believed his client was the victim of an organized attack. It all came down to the video, he said.
Watch a video analysis of the melee:
"It boggles my mind. ... It kind of saddens me a little bit that people would see stuff like that and just not think that it was a big deal, or at least not big enough a deal to warrant some kind of self-defense," Mills told the Times Union. "But that's what they did."
Both victims testified, as did Contompasis. In a pre-trial hearing, the prosecutors highlighted Facebook posts that tied Contompasis to antifa, the decentralized movement of anti-fascist groups. The defendant had said he is not a member of any antifa group.
The judge made it clear last week he did not want the case to be about politics.
Ill tell both sides right now: This case is not going to be tried as a pro-Trump, anti-Trump case," McDonough said. "Its not going to be tried as an antifa, Proud Boys case. Its going to be tried on the facts.
The judge ordered Contompasis detained in the Albany County Jail as he awaits sentencing, which is scheduled for Nov. 18.
See the original post:
Contompasis convicted in 2021 stabbing of two Proud Boys - Times Union
- Top Cop Defends Investigation Into Officers for Ties to Proud Boys and Oath Keepers That Won't Lead to Discipline - WTTW News - May 6th, 2024 [May 6th, 2024]
- Proud Boys Leader Sentenced to 22 Years in Prison for Seditious ... - Department of Justice - September 11th, 2023 [September 11th, 2023]
- DeSantis and Ramaswamy Call Proud Boys' Sentences 'Excessive ... - The New York Times - September 11th, 2023 [September 11th, 2023]
- Who Would Condemn a Community Rally Against the Proud Boys ... - Saratoga TODAY Newspaper - September 11th, 2023 [September 11th, 2023]
- Florida man connected to Proud Boys pleads guilty to assaulting police during Capitol riot - The Hill - August 26th, 2023 [August 26th, 2023]
- Vancouver Proud Boy gets prison for Portland rally riot - The Columbian - July 23rd, 2023 [July 23rd, 2023]
- 'Active club' hate groups are growing in the U.S. and making ... - NPR - July 23rd, 2023 [July 23rd, 2023]
- Louisiana's education chief to address extremist Moms for Liberty ... - Louisana Illuminator - July 23rd, 2023 [July 23rd, 2023]
- East Naples 'Proud Boy' guilty in attack on Jan. 6 U.S. Capitol. - Naples Daily News - May 18th, 2023 [May 18th, 2023]
- KC Proud Boy jailed more than 2 years in Jan. 6 case to stay there after another delay - Yahoo News - May 18th, 2023 [May 18th, 2023]
- Proud Boys and Oath Keepers: what is their future with top leaders jailed? - The Guardian US - May 18th, 2023 [May 18th, 2023]
- Latino faith leaders to gather for summit on Christian nationalism - The Washington Post - May 18th, 2023 [May 18th, 2023]
- Proud Boys on trial for Jan. 6 riot want to subpoena Donald Trump to ... - February 18th, 2023 [February 18th, 2023]
- Proud Boys member drafts subpoena to call Trump as a witness in Jan. 6 ... - February 18th, 2023 [February 18th, 2023]
- Proud Boys leaders facing Jan. 6 charges say they intend to subpoena ... - February 18th, 2023 [February 18th, 2023]
- Delilahs Gentlemens Club bartender gets probation for storming the Capitol with aspiring Proud Boys - The Philadelphia Inquirer - February 18th, 2023 [February 18th, 2023]
- Jan. 6 trial of Proud Boys leaders plagued by bickering between lawyers ... - February 13th, 2023 [February 13th, 2023]
- Proud Boys sedition trial shows group keying off Trump comments - February 13th, 2023 [February 13th, 2023]
- Four Takeaways From the Proud Boys Jan. 6 Sedition Trial So Far - February 12th, 2023 [February 12th, 2023]
- Enrique Tarrio - Wikipedia - February 5th, 2023 [February 5th, 2023]
- Former Proud Boy testifies in Jan. 6 seditious conspiracy trial - January 25th, 2023 [January 25th, 2023]
- Proud Boys on defensive at sedition trial haunted by absent Trump - January 25th, 2023 [January 25th, 2023]
- Proud Boys expecting 'civil war' before Jan. 6, witness says - January 25th, 2023 [January 25th, 2023]
- 'We were openly expecting a civil war' | Former Proud Boy testifies at seditious conspiracy trial - WUSA9.com - January 25th, 2023 [January 25th, 2023]
- Proud Boys | Leader, Founder, History, January 6 Attack, & Donald Trump ... - January 4th, 2023 [January 4th, 2023]
- Proud Boys attorney wants Trump's 'stand back and stand by' statement kept out of trial - WUSA9.com - January 4th, 2023 [January 4th, 2023]
- Feds Had Informants In Proud Boys And Oath Keepers For J6 - December 28th, 2022 [December 28th, 2022]
- A Disputed Witness at the Proud Boys Sedition Trial: A Police Officer - The New York Times - December 12th, 2022 [December 12th, 2022]
- Proud Boys memo reveals meticulous planning for street-level violence ... - November 27th, 2022 [November 27th, 2022]
- F.B.I. Had Informants in Proud Boys, Court Papers Suggest - November 27th, 2022 [November 27th, 2022]
- Jeremy Bertino, Proud Boys member from North Carolina, pleads guilty to ... - November 21st, 2022 [November 21st, 2022]
- Ex Proud Boys leader pleads guilty to seditious conspiracy in Jan. 6 - November 21st, 2022 [November 21st, 2022]
- Proud Boys leader pleads guilty to seditious conspiracy, agrees to ... - November 21st, 2022 [November 21st, 2022]
- Proud Boys leader pleads guilty to seditious conspiracy over Jan. 6 ... - November 21st, 2022 [November 21st, 2022]
- Proud Boys leader pleads guilty to seditious conspiracy - November 21st, 2022 [November 21st, 2022]
- Penn State refuses to cancel a speech by Proud Boys founder - NPR - October 13th, 2022 [October 13th, 2022]
- Proud Boys gather outside of Drag Queen Story Hour in Wheaton - BethesdaMagazine.com - October 13th, 2022 [October 13th, 2022]
- 'Clear and present danger': Jan. 6 committee to describe lingering Trump threat - POLITICO - October 13th, 2022 [October 13th, 2022]
- 7 Ways Roger Stone Was Connected to the January 6 Attack Mother Jones - Mother Jones - October 13th, 2022 [October 13th, 2022]
- Synthego Launches Engineered Cell Libraries to Validate Targets with Speed and Accelerate Drug Discovery - Brazosport Facts - August 2nd, 2022 [August 2nd, 2022]
- IDRx Launches with $122 Million Series A Financing to Treat Cancer with Purpose-Built Precision Combination Therapies - Business Wire - August 2nd, 2022 [August 2nd, 2022]
- Global Human Identification Market Report 2022: Massive Scope for Adoption of NGS and Capillary Electroph - Benzinga - August 2nd, 2022 [August 2nd, 2022]
- F2: France Preview, Predictions and How to Watch - Last Word On Motorsport - July 25th, 2022 [July 25th, 2022]
- The Age of the Superyacht - The New Yorker - July 25th, 2022 [July 25th, 2022]
- Proud Boys' trial delayed after defendants say Jan. 6 committee ... - June 29th, 2022 [June 29th, 2022]
- New video shows Proud Boys ignored their own orders against violence ... - June 29th, 2022 [June 29th, 2022]
- Proud Boys disrupt Pride event at Wilmington library - June 29th, 2022 [June 29th, 2022]
- Proud Boys Showed Up To A Pride Month Library Event But Were Met With A ... - June 29th, 2022 [June 29th, 2022]
- Why Are the Proud Boys so Afraid of Drag Queens? - June 29th, 2022 [June 29th, 2022]
- Sarasota school board candidates must openly condemn the Proud Boys - Sarasota Herald-Tribune - June 29th, 2022 [June 29th, 2022]
- NAACP calls for Jefferson County Commissioner Jacksons resignation after posing with Proud Boys - WDVM 25 - June 29th, 2022 [June 29th, 2022]
- Shane Lamond, MPD Lieutenant Under Investigation For Ties to Proud Boys, Accused of Time Theft Two Years Ago - Washington City Paper - June 29th, 2022 [June 29th, 2022]
- DOJ Targets Proud Boys, Expanding Its Sedition Probe - June 18th, 2022 [June 18th, 2022]
- Stephen Colbert Is Thrilled to Roast the Proud Boys - Vanity Fair - June 18th, 2022 [June 18th, 2022]
- What We Learned About Trump, Pence, and the January 6th Mob - The New Yorker - June 18th, 2022 [June 18th, 2022]
- Aspiring Camden County Proud Boy sentenced to two weeks behind bars for role in Capitol riot - The Philadelphia Inquirer - June 18th, 2022 [June 18th, 2022]
- Proud Boys | ADL - June 1st, 2022 [June 1st, 2022]
- Former Proud Boys Leader Indicted in Jan. 6 Investigation - June 1st, 2022 [June 1st, 2022]
- Hostilities between Proud Boys and Oath Keepers emerge as a line of ... - June 1st, 2022 [June 1st, 2022]
- Who is Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio? - The US Sun - June 1st, 2022 [June 1st, 2022]
- Mayor Wu Announces Members of the Black Men & Boys Commission - Boston.gov - May 20th, 2022 [May 20th, 2022]
- Proud Boys member pleads guilty for role in US Capitol attack - The Guardian - April 29th, 2022 [April 29th, 2022]
- First Thing: Putin warns Ukraine allies against intervention - The Guardian - April 29th, 2022 [April 29th, 2022]
- Street cam videos show before-and-after Highland Square fights with Proud Boy, others - Akron Beacon Journal - April 29th, 2022 [April 29th, 2022]
- Proud Boys Leader Enrique Tarrio Charged With Conspiracy - April 25th, 2022 [April 25th, 2022]
- Noble: I'm proud of the boys' efforts - West Ham United F.C. - April 25th, 2022 [April 25th, 2022]
- Canadian report warns of extremist infiltration in military - ABC News - April 25th, 2022 [April 25th, 2022]
- Looking ahead to the Jan. 6 committee hearings - PBS NewsHour - April 25th, 2022 [April 25th, 2022]
- Former Proud Boy Talks about January 6, Antifa and Why the Organization Won't Last Much Longer - The Peoples Vanguard of Davis - April 25th, 2022 [April 25th, 2022]
- Oath Keepers and Proud Boys were in touch before US Capitol attack, texts reveal - The Guardian - April 22nd, 2022 [April 22nd, 2022]
- SC inmate accused of threatening to assassinate Pres. Biden, VP Harris - WSAV-TV - April 22nd, 2022 [April 22nd, 2022]
- Former Proud Boys member extradited to U.S. pleads to misdemeanor after assaulting Palestinian man - CBC.ca - April 22nd, 2022 [April 22nd, 2022]
- Capitol attack panel expects to hear how militia groups coordinated plans before insurrection - The Guardian - March 29th, 2022 [March 29th, 2022]
- What is Anonymous? How the infamous hacktivist group went from 4chan trolling to launching cyberattacks on Russia - CNBC - March 29th, 2022 [March 29th, 2022]
- Leaders of the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers met the day before the Capitol Riot. A documentary film crew was present. - Business Insider Africa - March 15th, 2022 [March 15th, 2022]
- No, the Proud Boys aren't going to Ukraine: how a small troll went viral - Crikey - February 28th, 2022 [February 28th, 2022]
- Whose sovereignty is really being fought for? What happens when First Nations People are dragged into extremist protests - The Conversation AU - February 7th, 2022 [February 7th, 2022]
- Republicans to field more than 100 far-right candidates this year - The Guardian - February 5th, 2022 [February 5th, 2022]
- Bookman: Trump continues to threaten violence against those who stand for rule of law - ncpolicywatch.com - February 5th, 2022 [February 5th, 2022]
- Portland Police Used a Proud Boy Meme in Their Training Materials. The Feds Want Answers - Rolling Stone - January 28th, 2022 [January 28th, 2022]