Man accused of stealing police badge during Capitol riot ordered back to jail

[Eugene]

Source: Reuters

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A man accused of stealing a police officer’s badge during the deadly January assault on the U.S. Capitol and later burying it in his backyard was ordered returned to jail on Tuesday.

Beryl Howell, chief judge of Washington D.C.’s federal district court, ordered Buffalo, New York, resident Thomas Sibick jailed until his trial, which has not yet been scheduled. He faces multiple riot-related charges and was initially released on bail by a Buffalo federal magistrate.

In making her decision, Howell in court cited the latest evidence that showed Sibick was “convinced of the rightness of his actions” and that he “can’t be trusted” to abide by bail release conditions. Sibick demonstrated “enthusiastic participation” in the attack, Howell said.

Evidence showed that during rioting, Sibick tore off a badge and radio from the uniform of Washington Metropolitan police officer Mike Fanone, who was beaten by rioters, the judge said.

-snip-

U.S. LEGAL NEWS
MARCH 16, 2021 3:56 PM UPDATED AN HOUR AGO
By Mark Hosenball
2 MIN READ


Read more: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-capitol-arrests/man-accused-of-stealing-police-badge-during-capitol-riot-ordered-back-to-jail-idUSKBN2B82U7

[sheshe2]

1. Good.

They should all remain in jail.

[iluvtennis]

13. Ditto. nt

[orangecrush]

2. Rot

[Leghorn21]

3. OH HELL YEAH

Sibick was interviewed by the FBI four times but according to prosecutors, did not mention grabbing the officer’s badge in his first two interviews and initially claimed that he was a “good Samaritan” who had tried to assist the officer as the mob attacked. Prosecutor Cara Gardner suggested Sibick only started to tell investigators the truth when he realized he might have been captured on surveillance footage.

Enjoy your time in jail, pal - these will be “the good old days” once you get to PRISON

[BlueStater]

21. What the hell is wrong with him?

He looks like he’s hopped up on something for sure.

[canetoad]

24. He looks positively restrained

Compared to the person on the left!

[tonekat]

26. OMG! Yeah!

That guy looks like he's having a big ugly "O". I guess that's how they do it.

[padah513]

4. Should have never let him go

If he yanked off the officer's badge and radio, you know he was going for the gun!!! The idiot magistrate that let him go should be sitting in the jail cell right next to him.

[FailureToCommunicate]

27. There have so far been at least seven of these insurrectionists that got released by

local judges, after appearing on pretty serious charges.

What the hell is wrong with these guys (the judges) ?!?

[Yeehah]

5. How did this asshole get bail in the first place?

These filthy fascists are a danger to everyone.

[Indykatie]

6. Let a Black Man Snatch A Cop's Badge and Radio Off - We'd Be Reading His Obituary

I can't get over that so many police officers were injured and so few shots fired. It's as if they'd been instructed to stand back. This terrorist should never have been let out of jail.

[SunSeeker]

17. No doubt. Black protesters would have never gotten near the Capitol building.

And Miller over at Defense would not have held back the National Guard for 4 hours as the Capitol was being ransacked, as seen on all of our TV screens.

[Deuxcents]

7. I agree

These insurgents/terrorists should not be out of jail. I have no feelings of anything for them but rage. People died for their misdirected “patriotism”. All need to be held accountable..from the top down.

[ret5hd]

8. What's kinda funny about this is...

that he was released on bail...meaning he probably purchased a bail bond at around 10% of the bail amount...and then the judge ordered him back to jail!

Do you think that bail bond company was so kind as to refund his bond money? I’d bet $50 the answer is “no”. Hell, they fulfilled their end of the bargain! Not their fault the judge backpedalled!

So that judge just screwed him even more than if he’d just kept the guy in jail...almost like it was planned!

[soldierant]

12. I'm sure you're right,

and I'm sure that's in the contract.

In order for him to be out, they put up the entire amount of which he paid the, 10%. I would not be surprised if he is not liable for all of it. You think the judge returned the money to the bondsman?

[ret5hd]

14. The bond company doesn't pay upfront the bail amount.

They guarantee that the defendant will fulfill his obligations (appear in court, etc) and only pay the bail amount if the defendant skips.

[soldierant]

25. Lucky for them.

But I'm sure he doesn't get back a dime, and I'm sure he signed agreeing to that.

But, of course, because he signed doesn't mean he knows it..

[Iggo]

29. The money you pay to a bail bond company is a fee. You don't ever get it back.

Whether your bail is revoked, you skip bail, or you show up to court, that money's gone.

[Deuxcents]

9. Now, as I understand it..

No bail! Ahhhh...

[Gore1FL]

10. It seems more than a little weird to bury the badge in his back yard.

Why take it and why keep it?

[RainCaster]

19. So he could come back to it later

His Precious...

[Eugene]

20. From another DU thread...

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100215234682

It was a souvenir, if not a trophy.

EDIT: Also see reply #3 above.

Chief Judge Beryl Howell says there's overwhelming evidence Thomas Sibick "took the officer's badge, and kept it as a souvenir," calling it "egregious behavior," with "no sense of remorse." Sibick will be allowed to turn himself in, and will be transported to DC to stand trial.

Link to tweet

[rpannier]

22. I just assumed so he could play cop later to get access to places off-limits to us

and make him look tough and macho

[iluvtennis]

15. Good. Keep him locked up.

[C Moon]

16. Those boneheads thought they were heroes.

What kind of hero, rips a badge off a police officer, then buries it in his backyard for keepsake?
They are filth of the earth, and it's great to see so many of them facing the legal system.

[ffr]

18. .

[Upthevibe]

23. Eugene....

Thanks for this post.

Not only do these pieces of pongd scum need to remain in jail until their trial but, if found guilty, they need to serve MAJOR time in prison.

[oasis]

28. Bring your sorry ass back!