Capitol Riot

Jan. 6 Rioter Who Said He Was Following Donald Trump's ‘Marching Orders' Found Guilty

Badalian was found not guilty of a tampering count because the judge found that a government witness, a fellow Jan. 6 rioter, was a "hot mess" on the stand

Edward Badalian, in the red hat, at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.
U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia

A Jan. 6 defendant who was charged alongside the Donald Trump supporter who drove a stun gun into the neck of a D.C. police officer during the Capitol attack was convicted Tuesday on three counts.

The verdict was announced the same day the former president appeared in court in Manhattan to be arraigned on charges related to hush money paid to adult film star Stormy Daniels.

Ed Badalian was arrested in November 2021 after he was indicted for conspiracy, obstruction of an official proceeding and aiding and abetting, and tampering with documents or proceedings. He was found guilty of conspiracy to commit an offense against the United States, obstruction of an official proceeding, and a misdemeanor count.

He was found not guilty of a tampering count because the judge found that a government witness, a fellow Jan. 6 rioter, was a "hot mess" on the stand.

Starting with President Trump’s “Save America Rally” speech, to rioters breaching the U.S. Capitol and ending with Joe Biden and Kamala Harris confirmed as the next President and Vice President of the U.S., here’s a look at what happened at the U.S. Capitol Jan. 6, 2021.

“Our duly elected leader has called his marching orders, we gotta show up,” Badalian wrote in the “Patriots 45 MAGA Gang” chat on Dec. 21. 

For more on this story, go to NBC News.

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