Proud Boys leader Joe Biggs sentenced to 17 years in January 6 case

A leader of the Proud Boys who led the far-right organization’s infamous march to the US Capitol on January 6, 2021, was sentenced Wednesday to 17 years in prison – among the longest sentence handed down yet for a convicted rioter.

Joe Biggs was convicted by a Washington, DC jury of several charges including seditious conspiracy for attempting to forcibly prevent the peaceful transfer of power from then-President Donald Trump to Joe Biden after the 2020 election.

The government wanted Biggs to serve 33 years in federal prison. That’s 15 years longer than the longest sentence in a Jan. 6 case to date: the 18-year sentence that went to Oath Keepers founder Stewart Rhodes, also convicted of seditious conspiracy, after prosecutors sought 25 years in federal prison.

Compactor9679,

Its fucking insane how prople get so much time for something so stupid in the middle of a year where there were riots all over the US

Grant_M,
@Grant_M@lemmy.ca avatar

Light sentence. 30+ would be better for these treasonous scumbags

FordBeeblebrox,

People fucking died, should be 20 minimum for every asshole present that day

Grant_M,
@Grant_M@lemmy.ca avatar

100%

MechanicalJester,

Especially for someone who took an oath. We shouldn’t go easier because of his service, but harder, particularly regarding insurrection and invasion of Congress. He was tip of the spear in this, and led conspiracy with as many people as he could influence.

GBU_28,

Now he’ll get to get out of prison and be denied the right to vote lol

Custoslibera,

Death by hanging is the most appropriate.

Polar,

Imagine throwing away your life because a different party is rightfully elected. Your wife is gone. She’s not staying around, because in 17 years you will both be different people. Your kid is gone. You will never know your kid, even when you get out.

It’s stupid, because presidents promise so much, but do so little. You threw away your life for pretty much nothing.

Fucking idiots lol.

Custoslibera,

They don’t think they did anything wrong.

Don’t make the mistake of thinking people like this can be reasoned with. They can not.

We are better off executing people like this. Prison for life is a close second.

Keeping them alive only emboldens others to follow in their footsteps until they succeed.

No I am not ‘stooping to their level’ in suggesting that traitors are executed.

There’s a reason treason carries the death penalty.

smc87,

Wow

Metriximor,

Being one of the leaders of the group of people who attempted to overthrow your government and peaceful democratic systems is only 17 years in prison?

Wow just wow

Burn_The_Right,

If I were a traitor, I would see this sentence and think, “yeah, it kinda looks worth it, honestly.”

Conservatives get light sentences. It’s just a thing we do here, unfortunately.

mustardman,

Not so proud anymore, eh?

Wahots,
@Wahots@pawb.social avatar

Please double his sentence. He is a threat to society at large.

Wogi,

Where’s your pumpkin spice daddy now Joe?!

With any luck maybe you’ll share a cell

iforgotmyinstance,

Fuck all these people, every last one of them. Keep the convictions rolling. They each deserve it tenfold.

ki77erb,

Joe Biggs: Fucked around. Found out.

Rusticus,

Now that the seditionists are getting prison terms, VOTE VOTE VOTE. The next Republican president will pardon all of these assholes instantly.

andrewta,

Pardon is the least of our concerns.

pbs.org/…/conservatives-aim-to-restructure-u-s-go…

Buffalox,

The next Republican president will pardon all of these assholes instantly.

Only if they can afford to pay for it. You shouldn’t let them get their hopes up on false promises.

afraid_of_zombies,

Man is lucky he wasn’t executed.

hddsx,

Has to be war time for that, right?

Jaysyn, (edited )
@Jaysyn@kbin.social avatar

deleted_by_author

    •
    MorrisonMotel6, (edited )

    He doesn’t fit element A, so this whole discussion is moot. Please stop spreading misinformation. Also, if you’re gonna cite the UCMJ, cite the corresponding statute number (Article 94). Also, it helps if you spell UCMJ correctly

    Hyperreality,

    it helps if you spell UCMJ correctly

    JCUM

    hddsx,

    Why does he not fit element A? Is it 1 or 2 or 3 or 4; or do you have to fulfill 1-4 to qualify? I don’t know the context behind the excerpt they posted

    MorrisonMotel6,

    I don’t know the context behind the excerpt they posted

    That’s the problem; they didn’t post the context that would demonstrate he is not subject to the UCMJ as a veteran. Some retirees may be subject to the UCMJ, but in general, the UCMJ applies to active duty military. I’m a veteran with legal experience, not a lawyer, so I’m willing to be corrected with facts from someone who knows and isn’t just repeating bullshit they heard on social media.

    The elements of this crime have several different acts which qualify; you don’t have to do all of them to be guilty. The preface (which was cut off) denotes which people are subject to punishment under this law, which would almost certainly NOT include Biggs.

    hddsx, (edited )

    I think I found context:

    1. SSG Biggs served from 2007-2012: www.news-journalonline.com/story/…/70126430007/
    2. UCMJ is for (active) service members: bileckilawgroup.com/…/article-94-mutiny-and-sedit….
    3. SSG Biggs does not meet the general retired conditions for UCMJ punishment: tullylegal.com/…/can-you-be-charged-under-the-ucm…
    MorrisonMotel6,

    The only piece to this puzzle I didn’t have is in your first link.

    Biggs received a medical discharge from the Army when he was 28

    Cool, so he didn’t have 20 years AND he isn’t retired; he was medically discharged. These two factors absolutely remove him from consideration of punishment under the UCMJ. Nice detective work there!

    You should take the “(Ret.)” out behind his name so as not to mislead though.

    poppy,

    The Rosenbergs were executed in peacetimes.

    Edit:

    Currently, under the Uniform Code of Military Justice, 14 offenses are punishable by death. Under the following sections of the UCMJ, the death penalty can be imposed in both times of war and peace

    en.wikipedia.org/…/Capital_punishment_by_the_Unit…

    hddsx,

    SSG Biggs isn’t eligible for UCMJ under current precedent. He has not served enough time, was medically discharged, and is not eligible for retirement benefits to my knowledge.

    tullylegal.com/…/can-you-be-charged-under-the-ucm…

    I had thought the person I replied to was referencing treason in the constitution but I may be wrong about war/peace about that.

    poppy,

    Could he not be executed as a civilian like the Rosenbergs?

    hddsx,

    They were tried for espionage. I haven’t been closely following Biggs, but I don’t believe he has this charge

    ryrybang,

    This guy used violence and terrorism because he didn’t want my vote to count simply because he didn’t like the way I voted. Fuck this asshole. I hope he commits more felonies in prison and gets more time tacked on. 17 years isn’t enough for this fascist asshole.

    MxM111,
    @MxM111@kbin.social avatar

    It’s not do that he thought that he did not like your vote, but because he thought your vote does not matter. A tiny but important difference, I think.

    Dark_Arc,
    @Dark_Arc@social.packetloss.gg avatar

    I agree with the rage, but I personally – snowball in hell it may be – hope he and the others that participated in this come to realize why what they did is wrong and come to eventually speak against it.

    geogle,
    @geogle@lemmy.world avatar

    That would just be further “proof” of the deep state they think runs the country

    jballs,

    I look forward to seeing if he takes this approach 17 years from now.

    athos77,

    He claims, " I’m not a terrorist, I don’t have hate in my heart.". Unfortunately, I don't believe him, and I don't think the judge did either.

    Dark_Arc,
    @Dark_Arc@social.packetloss.gg avatar

    I’m skeptical as well, but I believe in redemption

    nilloc,

    He either has hate, or he’s happy to exploit the hate of his followers for personal gain.

    Either way he is in fact, a terrorist.

    Hyperreality,

    He has a young daughter. Poor daughter having such a shit father.

    Honestly, she's probably better off without this failure of a human being in her life.

    Magzmak,

    So many people get longer sentences for smaller crimes. :(

    Wookie,
    @Wookie@artemis.camp avatar

    Why are they all getting basically a slap in the hand?

    Jaysyn, (edited )
    @Jaysyn@kbin.social avatar

    1.) First of all, fuck Joe Biggs, he's a traitor.

    2.) Federal Sentencing Guidelines are a thing.

    3.) 17 Years is not a slap on the wrist. He'll be losing his military benefits & retirement as well.

    4.) The government may still appeal this sentencing, as they are for Steward Rhodes.

    5.) He's subject to USMJ & has been found guilty of Sedition. They can still have a turn with him.

    Rai,

    Americans and their life-sentence-lust. Wild.

    Jaysyn,
    @Jaysyn@kbin.social avatar

    He's a military vet that attacked his country, he's lucky he's not being executed.

    amanneedsamaid,

    Deadass, doing the same thing he did in almost any other place or time throughout human history would’ve led to an execution.

    givesomefucks,

    Even if he serves all 17 years, it’s unlikely he rehabilitates and incredibly like he goes right back to it.

    People get 30 years for having a couple hundred dollars of weed.

    We wouldn’t be complaining about his sentence so much if the rest of our sentences were also lesser

    z3rOR0ne,
    @z3rOR0ne@lemmy.ml avatar

    Or if the US Prison System was focused on rehabilitation rather than mass incarceration. This guy will find and be welcomed by his own in prison, and his misguided and dangerous ideology will only be enforced, and not challenged.

    Fanatical beliefs like the ones this man holds should be ostracized and mocked until they fade into obscurity and irrelevance. Instead, they live on through insidious means like indoctrination, cults/organized religions, and fascism.

    givesomefucks,

    And then we’ll get on our unicorns and ride off to gum drop mountain

    Zaktor,

    People get 30 years for having a couple hundred dollars of weed.

    That’s the problem, not a 17 year sentence being too light. What’s he going to learn in year 18 he didn’t learn in the previous 17?

    donuts,
    @donuts@kbin.social avatar

    Imagine punishing someone for attacking democracy and attempted an armed insurrection. I don't believe in the death sentence on moral grounds, but life imprisonment is a suitable alternative for the most extreme crimes.

    I'm curious how Europe, with its long history of revolution, torture and guillotines, would handle a coup attempt.

    ArtieShaw,
    @ArtieShaw@kbin.social avatar

    I guess we'll get to find out when and if Germany prosecutes theirs. Wiki.

    BBC article

    They didn't actually get as far as storming the capitol, but it seems like it was in the plans.

    Wahots,
    @Wahots@pawb.social avatar

    He literally tried to overthrow the government and overturn the peaceful transition of power through a coup. People died that day defending goverment workers from people who were going around with flexicuffs and blindfolds while other people strung up nooses. They were planning on executing innocent people.

    Officers defending them got beaten so badly, they died the next day.

    Wookie, (edited )
    @Wookie@artemis.camp avatar

    He tried to overthrow a democratic elected government. What do you think they would have done have they ran into Pelossi or Pence? They had nooses. It was pre-planned and we don’t even know who in the government helped them. I’m not American btw

    Horsey, (edited )

    The guy should’ve been executed, but the burden on the prosecution might’ve been a high bar to cross for that punishment. At least he’ll be serving in federal prison, which is far harder time than state prison. Federal prison sentences for example won’t allow him to commute his sentence or ask for parole as easily as state sentences. You often hear about people serving only a fraction of their sentence in state prison; this avenue is not possible with federal charges. The president (Trump or a sympathizer) could commute or pardon him, but I think that’s a bridge Trump wouldn’t cross based on his current track record of pardons. Trump’s pardons were largely political gains for him (self serving) and I don’t think a troublemaker would in the end help him very much.

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