BATON ROUGE (AP) – A military veteran charged with attacking police officers with a baton during a mob’s January 6, 2021, attack on the United States (US) Capitol was ordered released from custody yesterday, a day after his arrest.
A federal prosecutor had argued for the pretrial detention of Edward Richmond Jr, a former US Army soldier who was convicted of manslaughter for fatally shooting a handcuffed civilian in Iraq approximately two decades ago.
Assistant US Attorney Lyman Thornton III said authorities found an AR-15 rifle and ammunition when they searched Richmond’s Louisiana home this week. Richmond was prohibited from possessing a firearm due to his criminal history, the prosecutor said.
Thornton said Richmond poses a flight risk, is a threat to the community and has a history of violence, including a “very aggressive posture toward law enforcement”.
“I think January 6 was a culmination of deep-seated anger toward law enforcement,” Thornton said.
However, US Magistrate Judge Erin Wilder-Doomes ordered Richmond’s release from custody after a detention hearing attended by relatives, including his 16-year-old son.
Wilder-Doomes said Richmond has community ties and “appears to be a loving father”.
