Elon Musk: Capitol rioter QAnon Shaman must be freed from prison
Despite Musk's claims of false portrayal in the media, the QAnon Shaman plead guilty in September 2021 to obstructing an official proceeding when he stormed the US Capitol.
The US Capitol rioter known as QAnon Shaman should be freed from prison, Elon Musk said in a Friday night tweet, arguing that the convicted criminal was "falsely portrayed" in the media.
Jacob Chansley, known as QAnon Shaman for his horned headdress, was sentenced to 41 months in prison for his documented involvement in the Capitol insurrection led by supporters of then-US president Donald Trump on January 6, 2021.
Musk praises QAnon Shaman's conduct in new videos
The owner of Twitter called for Chansley's release in a reply to a video circulating on social media which claims to show the QAnon Shaman calling on other rioters to go home, as "we have made our point," as he is heard saying in the video.
Free Jacob Chansley https://t.co/8BbeXF2Fye
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 10, 2023
"Here's what we're going to do: We're going to obey the president, we're gonna do as he asks and go home," Chansley was recorded as saying. Later in the video, Chansley is seen arguing with fellow rioters who chanted "we're staying."
Musk, who called for "fairness and justice," claimed that Chansley was portrayed in the media as "a violent criminal who tried to overthrow the state and who urged others to commit violence."
Insisting he is not a Trump supporter, Musk noted that in the video, "he is urging people to be peaceful and go home." Musk also praised Chansley's behavior in another video where he is seen "calmly walking in the Capitol building, being escorted by officers and then thanking the officers," as Musk described.
BREAKING: Never before seen video of January 6 shows Jacob Chansley, the QAnon Shaman, being led through the Capitol by police the entire time that he was in the building. pic.twitter.com/rikoRMWezF
— Greg Price (@greg_price11) March 7, 2023
Chansley's conviction, sentencing and being 'on the right track'
Despite Musk's claims of Chansley's false portrayal, the QAnon Shaman plead guilty in September 2021 to obstructing an official proceeding when he and thousands of others stormed the building to try to stop Congress from certifying President Joe Biden's election.
"The hardest part of this is that I know I am to blame," Chansley said in a lengthy statement before he was sentenced, describing a difficult childhood and saying he had taken responsibility for his behavior. "I thought I was going to get 20 years solitary confinement," he said, adding: "This trauma has done something to me...I have the white hairs to prove it...on my chest...on my arms...I should not have white hairs, your honor."
US District Judge Royce Lamberth said he believed the 34-year-old whom he sentenced to prison had done a lot to convince the court he is "on the right track."
Reuters contributed to this report.
Jerusalem Post Store
`; document.getElementById("linkPremium").innerHTML = cont; var divWithLink = document.getElementById("premium-link"); if (divWithLink !== null && divWithLink !== 'undefined') { divWithLink.style.border = "solid 1px #cb0f3e"; divWithLink.style.textAlign = "center"; divWithLink.style.marginBottom = "15px"; divWithLink.style.marginTop = "15px"; divWithLink.style.width = "100%"; divWithLink.style.backgroundColor = "#122952"; divWithLink.style.color = "#ffffff"; divWithLink.style.lineHeight = "1.5"; } } (function (v, i) { });