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Accused Capitol rioter Klete Keller, who was beforehand a gold-winning Olympic swimmer, has accepted a plea deal in relation to the 6 January assault, NBC Washington has reported.
“Mr Keller is ready to go ahead” with the deal, the previous swimmer’s lawyer stated in court docket in Washington, DC on Wednesday, based on NBC reporter Scott MacFarlane.
Mr Keller has been indicted on seven costs associated to the January riot, together with disorderly conduct, impeding a regulation enforcement officer, obstructing an official continuing, and unlawfully getting into a restricted constructing. It isn’t but clear which of those costs he plans to plead responsible to.
A plea listening to and sentencing listening to are being scheduled, however the decide desires some adjustments made to the language of the plea deal first, Mr MacFarlane reported.
Earlier than he was noticed on the Capitol riot, Mr Keller was a extremely profitable swimmer. He competed in three completely different Olympics, and received gold medals in 2004 and 2008.
When video footage first started seeping out of the 6 January mob assault, Mr Keller was acknowledged nearly instantly. The previous Olympian is six and a half toes tall, and wore his Olympic workforce jacket to the riot.
USA Swimming, of which Mr Keller was as soon as a member, shortly denounced him after he was indicted.
“Mr Keller’s actions on no account characterize the values or mission of USA Swimming,” the group stated in a assertion. “And whereas as soon as a swimmer on the highest ranges of our sport – representing the nation and democracy he so willfully attacked – Mr Keller has not been a member of this group since 2008.”
At Wednesday’s court docket listening to, the DC decide reportedly requested Mr Keller if he’d been vaccinated for Covid-19. In keeping with Mr MacFarlane, Mr Keller “very quietly and meekly answered ‘no.’”
When the decide requested him why not, the previous Olympian reportedly stated he’d already had Covid and “doesn’t want” the shot. The decide then ordered him to “speak to a doctor.”
Mr Keller’s subsequent hearings could also be in individual, which means he and others current could also be susceptible to the virus if they don’t seem to be vaccinated.
“It’s fairly hanging to listen to Jan 6 defendants dig in on anti-COVID-vax place with judges… simply weeks earlier than they’ll be asking these judges for mercy and leniency,” Mr MacFarlane commented.
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