Judge issues first acquittal in a Jan. 6 case

Judge issues first acquittal in a Jan. 6 case | 6 April 2022 | A federal defense contractor who admitted to entering the Capitol during the Jan. 6 insurrection was found not guilty on Wednesday, NBC News reports. Matthew Martin, who held a top-secret security clearance, is now the first person acquitted after having been charged for participating in the Capitol riot. His case could now be used as an example for the defense of other Jan. 6 participants who go to trial, BuzzFeed News notes. U.S. District Court Judge Trevor N. McFadden acquitted him after a two-day bench trial, which Martin chose instead of a trial by a D.C. jury, saying his actions were "minimal and not serious," per NBC News. The judge found Martin "reasonably believed" police allowed him to enter the Capitol, per BuzzFeed.