Jessica Watkins, age 33 Jessica Watkins, age 33 Lost to gun violence on May 8, 2020 in Garland, Texas . (LogOut/ He's been charged with murder and remains in the Garland jail. "I want to say I'm sorry to you," Watkins said to the jury, "but I'd rather say I'm sorry to Christopher Owens, the [Metropolitan Police Department] officer who was here. join us with a tax-deductible donation today. Updated She was rushed to a nearby emergency. She also lived in Fayetteville, North Carolina, serving as a first responder with emergency medical training, before settling in Woodstock about three years ago." Watkins has also been described as an Army Ranger. But her apparent bet was that jurors might be more likely to acquit her on more serious charges such as seditious conspiracywhich can carry a prison term of up to 20 yearsif they found her sympathetic. He was the one on the other side of it, protecting the Capitol from my dumb a**.". CLEVELAND, Ohio - Jessica Watkins and her band of militia members pinballed into the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, driven by what she described on social media as a patriotic response to a call. Instead, they said she was invited by pro-Trump rally organizers to provide security and render medical aid if needed. Jeremy David Watkins military records were ordered through a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request. In 2001, she graduated from high school and joined the U.S. Army. 02 40 27 60 97. International: +33 2 40 27 60 97. These were Watkins first public comments since her arrest last month. During a hearing Tuesday, the judge delayed making a decision on whether Watkins should remain behind bars until trial, and questioned whether her crime qualified as a crime of violence. But Hughes played recordings from the walkie talk app Zellowhich some Oath Keepers used to communicate on January 6in which Watkins acknowledged communications in which other Oath Keepers noted that the proceedings were not over, but had instead been interrupted by the attack. The audio recordings were first reported byWNYC's "On the Media." Jessica Watkins, an Oath Keeper charged with seditious conspiracy, struggled Thursday under cross examination by prosecutorsat one point shouting that the 2020 election had been stolen from Donald Trump. On January 16, 2021, federal prosecutors obtained an arrest warrant for her and Crowl. Half this country still feels disenfranchised by that electionWe didnt have a free and fair election. He has degrees in journalism and economics from Lehigh University. For her alleged crimes of conspiring to attack the US Capitol building on January 6, Jessica Watkins was stripped and left naked in a jail cell for four days with the lights on 24 hours a day. Although the records do not indicate this, we were told by the NPRC that he served in Afghanistan from September 20, 2002 to December 4, 2002. She also cited the release of an alleged Proud Boys leader and a Texas florist who was even granted permission for a trip to Mexico while awaiting trial. Each defendant was convicted of at least one felony with a maximum prison sentence of 20 years. A witness told police that Watkins was talking to people parked at the gas pumps. Several people had reported this and asked for clarification on Watkins military service wanting the truth. While prosecutors have so far only invoked terrorism when arguing that Watkins should be detained, legal experts sayallegations of terrorism could lead to hefty prison sentences a threat that will surely loom over defendants as their cases progress. Sign up for the free Mother Jones Daily newsletter and follow the news that matters. Jessica Watkins, an Oath Keeper charged with seditious conspiracy, struggled Thursday under cross examination by prosecutorsat one point shouting that the 2020 election had been stolen from. I tried very much to bury it, she said, noting that she grew up in a very strict Christian household. "In my mind, I thought it was this heroic American moment where I thought people were going into our house, we were going to be heard," Watkins said. Watkins has pleaded not guilty to four federal crimes: conspiracy, destruction of government property, obstruction of an official proceeding and entering a restricted building the Capitol. 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Category: Afghanistan, Army -Special Forces, Army/Air National Guard Posers & Embellish-ers, Combat Medic, Combat veteran, Medals, Mogadishu, purple heart, Stolen Valor, US Army Posers & Embellish-ers, Vietnam Investigators said Watkins approached 28-year-old Aaron Haas, who was sitting in his car at one of the pumps. 2. More details are being added. We are in the main dome right now. Discovery Company. When she got to the last gas pump, the witness said, a shot was fired and Watkins fell to the ground. Court records in Rochester, New York, showed she changed her name to Jessica Marie Watkins in 2004. The federal public defender representing Watkins, Michelle Peterson, argued in court filings that courts may not detain defendants on dangerousness alone and urged Mehta to release her. Hughes cited that statement, and contrasted it with video footage in which Watkins had urged other rioters to push against police officers attempting to block a hallway. She alleged that she has been treated harshly and is at particular risk in custody because she is transgender, BuzzFeed News reported. An Army Ranger that served with BATT his entire career tells us that RIP now RASP is just to get to BATT. Police said the shooting happened around 4:30 p.m. in the 500 block of West I-30 Freeway. 0 evidence of violence. Given the result of everything on January 6 and everything that has come out my fellow Oath Keepers have turned my stomach against it. Many of them entered the building, Justice Department lawyer Ahmed Baset said at the hearing. From January 14-17, 2021, she and Crowl stayed in Caldwells house in Berryville, Clarke County, Virginia. The Patriots are coming inThose motherfuckers. Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. The odd thing is that Watkins has no National Defense Service Medal (NDSM) nor a Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal (GWOT-EM). Those participating in the riot ransacked lawmakers offices and the building itself. At some point during the encounter, the male shot the woman and drove off. The investigation is ongoing, but that is our working understanding, Baset said, before providing more details to the judge in a private session that was shielded from public view. Help Mother Jones' reporters dig deep with a tax-deductible donation. Police found Hass in the 1500 block of Walnut Ridge Drive in Rockwall. This case reaffirms the strength of our democracy and the institutions that protect and preserve it, including our criminal justice system, U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves for the District of Columbia said. The department said the group coordinated via encrpypted and private communications apps to travel to Washington, D.C. around the time of January 6 when Congress would certify the electoral college vote and certify President Joe Bidens win against former President Donald Trump. We have also heard the argument that if anyone that has served in Ranger Regiment tab or no tab is a Ranger. Tom has covered breaking news for The Dallas Morning News since 2016. I have no desire to continue with people who say things like that., She went on to tell the judge, I am sorry for any inconvenience I have caused the court. Its a disgrace that shes being held in jail and no house arrest. Ask your friends to light a candle or She was 40 years old when she was found guilty on November 29, 2022 of conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding, obstruction of an official proceeding, interfering with law enforcement officers during a civil disorder and conspiracy to prevent an officer from discharging duties. After high school,. I am humbled and I am humiliated that I am even here today.. Dr. Watkins conducted her graduate research on the emplacement mechanisms of large landslides on Mars and Earth. Watkins has been in the news lately because of storming the U.S. Capital Building on January 6, 2021 as a member of Oathkeepers, being one of the first of three people being arrested and facing charges. Later, she was a first responder as a firefighter and emergency. GARLAND, Texas (CBSDFW.COM) - Garland Police arrested a man who allegedly shot and killed a woman at a Walmart gas station Friday afternoon. And that is not rhetoric., Those words may have torpedoedWatkins defense. The January 6 investigation is sprawling. Watkinssaid on the app: "We have a good group. We're a nonprofit (so it's tax-deductible), and reader support makes up about two-thirds of our budget. Sign up for our free email newsletter, and we'll make sure to keep you in the loop. She was transported to a local hospital, where she was later died from her injuries. She also lived in Fayetteville, North Carolina, serving as a first responder with emergency medical training, before settling in Woodstock about three years ago.. Were done with that lifestyle, Watkins said of her militia. Watkins did not use any violence or force in the Capitol or Capitol. Tom Steele, Breaking News Producer. 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Lock Jeremy David Watkins up and the all the rest of the domestic terrorists for life. Grace Molteni/Mother Jones; Jose Luis Magana/AP, Montgomery County Jail/AP. Lost to gun violenceon May 8, 2020 in Garland, Texas. Where are all of the civil rights attorneys? Police were able to get the vehicle's license plate and identified the suspect as 28-year-old Aaron Haas. Aaron Haas (Garland PD) Police found Hass in the 1500 block of Walnut Ridge Drive in Rockwall. Jessica Marie Watkins is a white transgender woman from Ohio, United States. It would be helpful if you would be more accurate in your reporting- in the first place using the correct pronouns of he/him rather than the false she/her. BRENDAN BYRNE, BYLINE: Jessica Watkins is humble about her soon-to-be-record-breaking flight. If you do not already have a Disqus account, you will need to create one. Lived In Garland TX, Pasadena TX, Deer Park TX, Gaylord . Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Many were seen wearing military gear and moving in a tactical formation during the Capitol attack, getting to the front of the mob and breaching the building, according to videos and court documents. She went to Washington, D.C. on January 6, 2021 not as an insurrectionist but as a medic, her lawyer said in a court filing on February 20, 2021. NASA astronaut Jessica Watkins was born on May 14, 1988 in Gaithersburg, Maryland. Officers found 33-year-old Jessica Watkins suffering from a gunshot wound. "It's the question I've been asking myself ever since," Watkins said, explaining her motivation for going to the Capitol. Watkins had also claimed Wednesday that she had not initially seen any violence at the Capitol and described the scene she saw as festive and patriotic. Watkins became the third Capitol rioter accused by prosecutors of a crime of terrorism, followingtwo Proud Boys members, Dominic Pezzola and Ethan Nordean. She is asking for the court to release her and instead consider home detention. You were one of a kind, wfaa.com: Man accused of shooting, killing woman near Garland Walmart, police say, Dallas News: Man arrested in womans fatal shooting at Garland gas station, NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth: Arrest Made After Deadly Shooting at Walmart Gas Station. Interesting, and funny. " Watkins, an Afghanistan war veteran, claimed she was not guilty of conspiracy charges. NOTE: The Character of Discharge is something that is not releasable under the FOIA guidelines. The judge said the case poses a "threshold legal question" which could affect potentially dozens of other similar cases, and ruled that Watkins will remain in detention as she awaits her next hearing. Jessica Marie Watkins comes to us from Hilliard, Ohio. Shes a non-violent offender. He has worked in a number of other capacities for The News since 2007, and he was previously a copy editor at The Florida Times-Union in Jacksonville, Fla. We are sticking together and sticking to the plan. All of your account information and comment history has been saved and will be uploaded as quickly as possible to Disqus. Can you pitch in a few bucks to help fund Mother Jones' investigative journalism? She is still being held without bond, a clear violation of her 8th Amendment rights. Which is why Im canceling my Oath Keeper membership, Watkins said. In testimony last month, Watkins said she had been dragged into the conspiratorial underbelly of the internet and that she believed she was acting like an American patriot on January 6, 2021. Jessica Watkins, an Oath Keeper, charged with conspiring to attack the US Capitol building on January 6, filed for release pending trial on Saturday. Jessica Watkins, an Oath Keeper charged with conspiring to storm the US Capitol, has asked to be released from jail pending trial, alleging that she has been "treated harshly" and is at "particular risk in custody" because she is transgender. 35 . She is also a member of the Oathkeepers, a pro-Constitution group frequently maligned by the liberal media and Democrat politicians. The 33-year-old geologist from Colorado joined the astronaut corps in 2017. Prosecutors said Watkins, a U.S. Army veteran who is now the self-described commanding officer of the so-called Ohio State Regular Militia, was filmed with other Oath Keepers members "gleefully embedded" in a mob outside the Capitol. A federal judge decided Friday that the alleged ringleader of the most serious paramilitary conspiracy stemming from the Capitol attack must stay in jail before trial. 'Elm Street' Star Mark Patton Hospitalized With AIDS Complications, Seeks Help, Dem Senate Hopeful Mocks Josh Hawley Over Porn Comments in Campaign Ad, How Florida Lesbians & a Straight German Couple Became Family, Amy Grant Slams Homophobes Criticizing Her for Nieces Lesbian Wedding, George Santos Named to Two House Committees Amid Calls to Resign, Actor and Family Man Cheyenne Jackson on Balancing it All, Gay MSNBC Anchor Challenges Homophobic GOP Candidate on Air. Learn how your comment data is processed. A poser. Jessica Watkins was arrested in January after she turned herself in to federal authorities. and in the best traditions of the Department of Justice," said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. I did it out of love for my country, but I think its time to let that all go and focus on my business.. The Oath Keepers conspiracy is the most serious case to emerge so far from the Capitol siege. Copyright 2023 Mother Jones and the Foundation for National Progress. This is an extremely short deployment which may indicate a problem other than being wounded, but there is no Purple Heart award in the records. A woman was killed in a shooting at a Garland gas station Friday afternoon, and police arrested a suspect later in the day. Updated at 10 p.m.: Revised to include arrest, victims identity. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. On January 17, 2021, An FBI special agent filed a criminal complaint against her, Crowl and Caldwell, which was signed by U.S. Magistrate Judge. Elmer Steward Rhodes, the founder and leader of the Oath Keepers, and Kelly Meggs, leader of the groups Florida chapter, were both found guilty of sedition. Thats when Watkins begin losing her composure on the stand. Jim was awarded the Reed Irvine Accuracy in Media Award in 2013 and is the proud recipient of the Breitbart Award for Excellence in Online Journalism from the Americans for Prosperity Foundation in May 2016. We wanted to get the truth out and let people decide what constitutes a decorated vet and Army Ranger. 2012. 2. During her time on the stand, Watkins also explained her difficulty in accepting her trans identity. On the stand, Watkins admitted to going inside the Capitol and obstructing officers. The debate over her continued incarceration was the latest test for the Justice Departments effort to lock up the alleged Capitol rioters who they believe are too dangerous to release, based on their rhetoric or extremist affiliations, even if they havent been accused of attacking police. mairie.stviaud@wanadoo.fr. Watkins was also found guilty on a count of civil disorder and aiding and abetting because, as she admitted on the stand, she helped push against officers inside the Capitol. The othersOath Keepers founder Stewart Rhodes and Thomas Caldwell, an associate of Watkinsalso struggled under cross-examination. I accept full responsibility for what happened in this hallway. The victim is. ", A voice believed to be Watkins responded, "We are in the mezzanine. How can a group of Donniess foot soldiers, costumed idiot numbskulls expect to achieve their goals when they are not a cohesive para military unit who had trained together for any length of time? Rhodes' ally Kelly Meggs was also convicted but three co-defendants were acquitted of helping Rhodes. Watkins also argued that she is no threat to the public, the media outlet said. https://t.co/ZycN0FgZte https://t.co/A1yvYwjF0B, Robert Barnes (@barnes_law) February 21, 2021. The ruling came during a federal court hearing where alleged Capitol rioter Jessica Watkins disavowed the right-wing Oath Keepers militia and said she was humbled and humiliated by the charges against her. Please enter valid email address to continue. Attorney General Petty Merrick Garland praised the decision. She said Friday she disbanded her militia. Jessica Watkins, left, and Donovan Crowl inside the Capitol Rotunda after allegedly storming the building. Watkins was indicted this month on four charges, one of which was aiding and abetting the destruction of government property a crime that, if found to be politically motivated, could be considered terrorism. I wasn't doing security anymore, I wasn't medic Jess anymore. Remember this next time the left claims they want criminal Justice reform. (a) In 2001, she graduated from high school and joined the U.S. Army. Jessica Watkins Arrest & Charge Prosecutors said Watkins had entered the Capitol building illegally. Jim Hoft is the founder and editor of The Gateway Pundit, one of the top conservative news outlets in America. Watkins expressed her regret during her testimony. At approximately 2:30 p.m., according to the governments evidence, Meggs, Harrelson, and Watkins, along with other Oath Keepers and affiliates many wearing paramilitary clothing and patches with the Oath Keepers name, logo, and insignia marched in a stack formation up the east steps of the Capitol, joined a mob, and made their way into the Capitol, the DOJ said in its announcement. The Colorado native earned a Bachelor of Science in Geological and Environmental Sciences from Stanford University, and a Doctorate in Geology from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). 2022 Midterm Action List SEVEN STEPS You Can Take to SAVE OUR ELECTIONS From Fraud. Jessica Watkins is an Army veteran. The "team leader" was Kelly Meggs, FBI. Here are 13 more things about her: (This is a developing story. Here are 13 more things about her: Jessica Watkins (Montgomery County Jail) Advertisements She is a resident of Woodstock, Champaign County, Ohio. Watkins, 38, a veteran of the war in Afghanistan who has for the past two years run a bar in the small village of Woodstock, Ohio, is facing some of the most serious charges yet filed from the mob insurrection that left five people dead and sent members of Congress fleeing for their lives early this month. Terms of Service apply. 2020 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Subscribe today and get a full year of Mother Jones for just $14.95. Officers found 33-year-old Jessica Watkins. Capitol riot: Prosecutors say Champaign County womans training included war games, The U.S. Army said Watkins served under the name Jeremy David Watkins as an infantryman in the U.S. Army from April 2001 to December 2003, including time in Afghanistan, an Army spokesman said., Watkins has been described as a decorated Army vet., Meet The Woman Facing Some Of The Most Serious Capitol Riot ChargesWatkins journey from decorated Army vet , Records show Watkins served honorably in the Army under a different name, including duty in Afghanistan from 2001 to 2003.