Jury begins deliberating in Oath Keepers sedition trial

By MICHAEL KUNZELMAN, LINDSAY WHITEHURST and ALANNA DURKIN RICHER
Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — Jurors have started deliberating in the Capitol riot case accusing Oath Keepers founder Stewart Rhodes and four associates of a violent plot to stop the transfer of presidential power from Republican Donald Trump to Democrat Joe Biden. Deliberations began Tuesday. Prosecutors are asking the Washington, D.C., jury to convict the defendants of seditious conspiracy. The rarely used charge carries up to 20 years in prison and can be difficult to prove. Prosecutors spent weeks showing jurors messages, recordings and surveillance video they say show the Texas resident Rhodes and his band of antigovernment extremists were prepared to take up arms to overturn Biden’s victory. The defendants sought to downplay their actions.