Supreme Court justices ruled that charges brought under the obstruction law must meet certain criteria.
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SupremeCourtjusticesruledthatchargesbroughtundertheobstructionlawmustmeetcertaincriteria.
U.S.prosecutorshavestarteddroppingobstructionchargesagainstdefendantsallegedtohavebeeninvolvedintheJan.6,2021,breachoftheU.S.Capitol,inthewakeofacrucialSupremeCourtdecision.
Governmentprosecutorsinformeddefendantsandthejudgeoverseeingthedefendants’casesthatitwilldropchargesbroughtunderfederallawSection1512(c)(2)inlightoftherulingfromthenation’stopcourt,accordingtoaJuly15filing.
“Thisdecisionwasmadeinordertoavoiddisruptiontothetrialscheduleforafive-defendantcase,andthedismissaleliminatestheneedforadditionallitigationastothesufficiencyoftheSection1512chargeasappliedtothesedefendants,”theprosecutorstoldthejudge.
ProsecutorsinaseparateJan.6casesaidonJuly11thattheyweredroppingthesameobstructionchargeagainstdefendantMarkSahadyafterthejudgeorderedthegovernmenttoparticipateinabriefingontheeffectsoftheSu