UNPRECEDENTED

Judge Lets Accused Capitol Rioter Off the Hook Over ‘Plausible’ Belief He Was Allowed Inside

The judge described Matthew Martin as a “silent observer” on Jan. 6 and found him not guilty.

A New Mexico man was found to be not guilty of all charges related to his involvement in the Jan. 6 assault on the Capitol. U.S. District Judge Trevor McFadden cleared Matthew Martin on Wednesday based on his “plausible” belief that he was allowed to be on the Capitol grounds and inside the building because authorities didn’t attempt to prevent his entry. Though his entry wasn’t actively prevented, Martin did walk past fences with signs reading “AREA CLOSED” and recorded a video of a broken window, blaring alarms, police in riot gear, and people affected by tear gas. But McFadden insisted Martin’s actions on the day of the riot were “minimal and non-serious,” describing him as a “silent observer.”