Jacob Chansley, the self-declared "QAnon Shaman" sentenced Wednesday to 41 months in prison for his actions during the Jan. 6 incidents at the U.S. Capitol, is "embracing being held accountable" for what he did, Albert Watkins, the attorney representing him, told reporters after the proceedings.
"Mr. Chansley owned his responsibility," Watkins said outside the federal courthouse in Washington, D.C., according to a clip of the remarks shared by The Recount. "He was and has been held accountable, as he is respectful of this court and of everyone involved in this case."
"We had interviewed Albert Watkins before," Newsmax's John Bachman said Wednesday during a video clip of Watkins' remarks. "He felt like [Chansley] had no real alternative other than accepting this plea deal. Jacob Chansley faces charges, not violent charges, not charges of terrorism or domestic terrorism or sedition or anything like that. Jacob Chansley faces just one nonviolent offense charge, disrupting an official proceeding, and for that, he will receive 41 months in prison."
Chansley pleaded guilty in September to obstructing an official proceeding when he and thousands of others stormed the Capitol in hopes of stopping Congress from certifying President Joe Biden's election.
He became an enduring image from the events on Jan. 6 because of his appearance, including wearing face paint and a horned headdress.
Watkins, who has been interviewed several times on Newsmax, argued in court that Chansley was sufficiently punished by spending the past 10 months in jail, reports The Washington Post.
“Mr. Chansley is in dire need of mental health treatment,” Watkins wrote in his sentencing memo, pointing out that a psychological evaluation earlier this year found his client suffers from schizotypal personality disorder, anxiety, and depression.
Watkins also asked U.S. District Judge Royce Lamberth to go below the sentencing guidelines range of 41 to 51 months in prison and release Chansley because of his "mental health infirmities of significance.”
Meanwhile, the Post reports that Chansley spoke to Lamberth for about a half-hour, invoking Jesus Christ and Mahatma Gandhi.
"Gandhi would allow his loyalty to God and truth to guide him to accepting responsibility," Chansley told him. "I was wrong for entering the Capitol. I have no excuse. No excuse whatsoever. My behavior was indefensible."
Chansley also praised Lamberth’s service in the military Judge Advocate General Corps, seemed to convince the judge that he had made significant changes and in return, Lamberth said that his remarks are the "most remarkable that I've heard in 34 years" and that he thinks he's genuine with his remorse.
"Parts of those remarks are akin to the kinds of things that Martin Luther King would have said," he also told Chansley.
However, he wouldn't reduce the sentence, telling him that what he did on Jan. 6 was "horrific." Still, the judge told Chansley that what he's done since Jan. 6 shows he's a "new person."
Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
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