BIT LATE

Military Vet Who Wrote ‘Lol’ on Facebook After Storming Capitol Tells Judge: I’m So Ashamed

Jon Walden begged for leniency ahead of his sentencing Wednesday—it didn’t work.

A military vet who wore a gas mask when he broke into the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021—and later posted a photo from the riot captioned “lol”—has told a court that he feels deeply ashamed of what happened. The Kansas City Star reports Jon Walden, 48, begged for leniency ahead of his sentencing in federal court Wednesday. “If I could take it all back, I would,” Walden told the judge. “I didn’t see a lot [of] what I saw on TV when I was there. It was a terrible day, and I’m really ashamed of myself that I was a part of that... I wish I hadn’t been there, and I’m sorry that I did that.” Nevertheless, Walden was sentenced to 30 days of home detention, three years’ probation, and 60 hours of community service after he pleaded guilty to parading inside the Capitol building. Prosecutors said Walden repeatedly chanted “Traitors!” inside the Capitol, and posted a photo from the riot on Facebook that he captioned: “I had just climbed the west wall lol.”