The questions surrounding the case of Jacob Chansley — the guy known as the “QAnon Shaman” — have gotten more traction since Tucker Carlson began raising the issue on his show. Carlson raised questions about the video showing Chansley being led around the Capitol building by multiple police officers. They don’t stop him; they even open doors for him. After they lead him to the Senate chamber, he says a prayer for their help on the Senate floor.
Chansley was sentenced to 41 months in prison for pleading guilty to “obstruction of an official proceeding.” He never hurt anyone, that wasn’t even alleged.
Chansley’s attorneys said that this video was not turned over to them. Had it been turned over, it certainly could have factored into his defense to such a charge.
Plus, if the prosecution was in fact aware of this video, then they would have had a legal obligation to turn it over to the defense.
George Washington law professor Jonathan Turley is weighing in now on the issue, on reports that the FBI did have the video.
They showed videos of Chansley yelling at the crowd. But what they didn’t show was this kind of video, of him peacefully walking around with the officers not threatening anyone. It showed that he wasn’t the character being portrayed to the judge in his case, which may have factored into why he got such a stiff sentence for non-violent action.
Not only does Chansley have Carlson and Turley asking questions about his case, but now he has Twitter owner Elon Musk as well. Musk commented on the video that Carlson had shown about Chansley on his show, showing him being guided around by the police.
“Chansley got 4 years in prison for a non-violent, police-escorted tour!?” Musk said. He then observed the difference between the sentence Chansley got and that given to the guy who attacked comedian Dave Chapelle [sic], “Dave Chapelle was violently assaulted on stage by a guy with a knife. That guy got a $3,000 fine & no prison time.”
But then Musk highlighted a video that was a bit of a bombshell and raises even more questions in the case. It shows Jacob Chansley outside of the building, with a bullhorn, appearing to be encouraging people to “go home,” quoting what Donald Trump had said on social media.
“Donald Trump has asked everyone to go home,” Chansley declared. “So what are we going to do? We’re going to obey our president. We’re going to do what he asks and go home.”
Now, that’s a big video, if it’s accurate as it appears to be. It’s not clear exactly when this is, but it would have had to have been after Trump said that. It’s also likely after Chansley was inside the building. However, it shows him rejecting further action and also trying to stop other people. That would have been incredibly important to have, in terms of his defense, at the very least a mitigating factor in whatever sentence he might have gotten.
This video allegedly was taken by the “MAGA Granny” Pam Hemphill, who was also a J6 defendant.
But again, it blows apart the government’s portrayal of Chansley that day.