A Capitol rioter from Florida who admitted to assaulting police with a wooden plank and a fire extinguisher on Jan. 6. has been sentenced in federal court to more than five years in prison.
Why it matters: The sentence handed down to 54-year-old Robert Palmer is the longest given for any Capitol riot defendant so far.
- Prior to Palmer’s sentencing, the longest prison term given to a Capitol rioter was 41 months, AP reports.
- He is the 65th defendant to be sentenced while more than 700 have been charged.
What they’re saying: During his sentencing, Palmer told U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan that he was “really, really ashamed” of what he did, per AP.
- “It has to be made clear … trying to stop the peaceful transition of power and assaulting law enforcement officers is going to be met with certain punishment,” said Chutkan, who sits on the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.
- “There are going to be consequences. I’m not making an example of you. I’m sentencing you for the conduct you did,” the judge added.
Editor’s note: This is a developing story and has been updated throughout.