The leader of a far-right anti-government militia and four other members of the group face charges of seditious conspiracy for their roles in the attack on the US Capitol on 6 January, 2021.
Federal prosecutors have alleged that Stewart Rhodes and other militia members spent weeks plotting an attempt to disrupt the joint session of Congress, including plans for a cache of weapons and supplies, to prevent Joe Biden’s presidency and keep Donald Trump in office, as a mob of the former president’s supporters stormed the halls of the Capitol.
Jury selection began in US District Court on 27 September.
Mr Rhodes has pleaded not guilty. He faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted.
Earlier this month, the federal judge overseeing the case lambasted Mr Rhodes after his newly hired attorney sought to delay the trial in Washington DC and claimed that he lacked access to critical evidence against him. Judge Amit Mehta called his arguments to stall the trial “incorrect and frankly bewildering”.
