WASHINGTON — A Donald Trump supporter who stormed the Capitol and assaulted law enforcement officials now says he was “fooled” by the former president’s lies about the 2020 election.
Dana Jean Bell was sentenced Thursday by U.S. District Judge Timothy J. Kelly to 17 months in federal prison. There were federal prosecutors searched for Bell, who served 27 months in federal prison, “belligerently pushed, grabbed, and verbally assaulted countless United States Capitol Police (‘USCP’) and Metropolitan Police Department (‘MPD’) officers who were attempting to clear rioters from inside the United States Capitol Building.”
Bell pleaded guilty in July to one count of assaulting officers. Prosecutors said his behavior “included giving officers the middle finger while scowling and yelling ‘F— YOU’ repeatedly at them.” he said.
One of the officers Bell, a 62-year-old Trump supporter, encountered was the late Jeffrey Smith.
“Get a real job, get a real job!” Bell shouted to Smith, in a body camera video. “We don’t support you all anymore. No one supports you now! No one!”
After confronting Bell, Smith was attacked in at least two separate incidents, including being hit by a flying metal object thrown by another member of the crowd on the west front of the US Capitol after nightfall. Smith later reported for treatment, but the facility was so overcrowded with other officers attacked by other Trump supporters that his family says he did not receive the proper treatment.
Smith died by suicide nine days later, the police board and the Department of Justice said ruled it was his death on dutystemming directly from his injuries at the Capitol. Last month, Washington Nationals baseball honored Jeffrey Smith, placing him alongside other officers who have died in the line of duty.
Jeffrey Smith’s widow, Erin Smith, was in court Thursday for Bell’s sentencing and gave a moving victim impact statement. Erin Smith told the court she would not have lost her husband “if this woman and others had not chosen violence on that fateful day” and that Bell “chose to attack and insult police officers who, like my husband, do very real jobs.” Four of them died and hundreds of people were injured.”
Bell, according to to the defense team on January 6, he considered it “his civic and patriotic duty to respond to Trump’s call.” But they say he has now seen the light. a psychiatric evaluation In his lawyer’s statement to the court, the doctor said he now understands that Bell was “deceived” by “the lies and manipulation of President Donald Trump” and that “former President Trump lost the 2020 election and used all of his followers, including himself.” for his own benefit”.
“Dana regrets ever responding to Trump’s challenge,” her attorney wrote.
Bell joined the crowd that marched into the Capitol on January 6. As he was leaving, he “joined the news crew by approaching the news crew. The news team gave them a middle finger, calling them ‘traitors’ and ‘fake news’ and told them to ‘get out’. Bell then began pushing and trying to grab the female news anchor who was recording the incident on her cell phone. Bell then raised his hand and attempted to kick another person when that person tried to intervene.
More than 1,500 people have been charged with crimes related to the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol, and new cases are pending.
Thursday morning Peter G. MoloneyA Trump supporter who inherited a chain of funeral homes in Long Island has pleaded guilty to assaulting an officer. Moloney admitted to attacking officers with “Black Flag Bee, Hornet and Yellow Jacket Killer” spray and attacking two people he thought were with the media. Moloney is scheduled to be sentenced on February 11, 2025, a few weeks after the next presidential inauguration, but that could change during Trump’s presidency.