Plea negotiations begin for Maine man charged in Capitol riot

By Setareh Jalali

Plea negotiations have begun for the Maine man charged in the Capitol riot that took place this past January.  

Kyle Fitzsimmons, 37, of Lebanon, Maine, was arrested in February and is currently awaiting trial at a jail in Washington, D.C. He has been indicted on 10 charges, including two counts of inflicting bodily injury on police officers and attempting to obstruct law enforcement during a civil disorder. Fitzsimons has pleaded not guilty to all 10 charges.  

Plea talks were scheduled to begin earlier this month but were postponed until today after Fitzsimons requested that his private defense attorney be replaced by a federal public defender.  

An affidavit included screenshots from surveillance and police body cameras that allegedly show Fitzsimons at the front of the group of rioters. Fitzsimons can be seen “pushing and grabbing against officers, who were holding a police line.” After being hit by an officer’s baton, Fitzsimons reportedly lowered his shoulder and charged the line of officers.  

Fitzsimons is the only Maine resident to face prosecution for participation in the riot that left five people dead. 415 individuals across the country have been charged for participating. According to Reuters, only one person has plead guilty thus far.