A federal judge has reinstated a gag order in a case involving a man charged with taking part in the January 6 assault on the U.S. Capitol — but he imposed some limits on a government request for it to be expanded.
U.S. District Judge Emmet Sullivan issued the ruling on Monday, suspending parts of an earlier order banning the four defendants in the case from speaking to the media about the case.
The original order had completely banned the four defendants — including the man charged with stealing a Capitol Police officer’s riot shield and carrying it around the Capitol —from speaking to the media or anyone else about the case.
The government had argued that the order was necessary to protect the privacy of potential witnesses and ensure a fair trial.
But Sullivan’s ruling narrows the order, limiting it so that the defendants cannot make statements about the case that might influence potential witnesses or jurors. The order also prohibits the defendants from making statements that could influence public opinion or interfere with the investigation.
