Appeals Court Upholds Jan. 6 Trespassing Conviction Against Cowboys for Trump Founder

The ruling reinforces the legal foundation for prosecuting over 1,400 defendants connected to the Capitol riot.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit ruled 2-1 to uphold Couy Griffin's misdemeanor trespassing conviction.
The court found that prosecutors do not need to prove defendants knew a Secret Service protectee was present to convict under the trespassing statute.
Judge Cornelia Pillard emphasized that requiring such knowledge would hinder the Secret Service's ability to protect officials.
Judge Gregory Katsas dissented, arguing that knowledge of the protectee's presence should be required for conviction.
Griffin, who founded Cowboys for Trump, plans to appeal the decision, potentially bringing the case to the Supreme Court.