Jan. 6 Supporter Calls Officer Fanone a ‘Piece of Sh*t’ in Court, Rioter on Trial Later Breaks Down in Tears: ‘I am So Sorry’
One of the pro-Trump Jan. 6 rioters convicted in the assault on former Metropolitan DC police officer Michael Fanone faced sentencing on Tuesday in Washington, DC, and a supporter in the courtroom had a vicious comment about it.
Fanone and another office addressed Judge Amy Berman Jackson ahead of the sentencing of that rioter, Kyle Young, who was part of some of the most violent acts against law enforcement that day at the Capitol’s Lower West Terrace Tunnel.
Federal prosecutors told the court that Young restrained Fanone while another rioter attacked and shocked Fanone with a taser Young brought to the Capitol.
NBC News justice reporter Ryan J. Reilly reported on Tuesday, “A Jan. 6 supporter just called Mike Fanone a ‘piece of shit’ inside the courtroom. It came after Fanone told defendant Kyle Young, during his victim statement, that he hoped Young suffers in prison.”
“There was a brief stare down, and the man has now been escorted from court,” Reilly added.
New: A Jan. 6 supporter just called Mike Fanone a “piece of shit” inside the courtroom. It came after Fanone told defendant Kyle Young, during his victim statement, that he hoped Young suffers in prison.
There was a brief stare down, and the man has now been escorted from court.
— Ryan J. Reilly (@ryanjreilly) September 27, 2022
Fanone wrote an op-ed published Tuesday detailing his injuries and experience on Jan. 6.
“The assault irrevocably changed my life. I suffered a heart attack and a traumatic brain injury. I was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder, and I still struggle with PTSD nearly every day,” Fanone explained.
“As an officer for the Metropolitan Police Department for two decades, I patrolled some of the most dangerous streets in Washington, D.C. I participated in more than 2,000 arrests, mostly for dealing heroin, crack cocaine or methamphetamine or for illegally carrying guns,” Fanone added, noting he had been assaulted mutliple times in the line of duty, but argued, “This case is different.”
Later during sentencing Young apologized and broke down crying, noted Politico’s Kyle Cheney.
“I am so so sorry. And if I could take it back I would,” Young said, according to Cheney.
“Whatever you give me as a punishment, I accept,” Young added, addressing the judge who was recommended to jail Young for 86 months by federal prosecutors.
YOUNG, addressing the court, turns to Officer Fanone, apologizes and breaks down crying.
“I am so so sorry. And if I could take it back I would.”
Turning to the judge, he says, “Whatever you give me as a punishment, I accept.”
— Kyle Cheney (@kyledcheney) September 27, 2022
Fanone also joined CNN in the morning to discuss the sentencing and said he hopes Young’s sentencing is tough.
“I’ll say this. Before the trial and the guy’s name escapes me, a former NYPD officer was sentenced to ten years. The time in and of itself really didn’t matter to me. What did matter to me was what Mr. Young did with that time, and, like all the individuals who have been charged with assaulting me, the only thing I’m interested in seeing them do is suffer,” Fanone told Brianna Keilar.
“I’m not looking for apologies. I’m not looking for them to turn their lives around. If they want to do that, they can do that, that’s fine, but I want them to suffer just like I have,” he added.
“Just like a lot of police officers have. To me, that’s what accountability is,” Fanone concluded.
Watch the full clip above via CNN.
