DC Jails not Releasing Pardonees

This irritates me. There are 22 J6 pardonees being held in pre-trial detention at the Wahington DC department of corrections jail. They are being held there because there is not a federal detention center in the DC area.

They were all subjects of the pardons issued by President Trump yesterday. Unlike those held by the Federal Bureau of Prisons – who released all of their pardonees by midnight last night – the ones held at the DC jail have not been released yet.

According to Bill Shipley, a former federal prosecutor turned defense attorney who repped several dozen J6 defendants this is illegal. From his Twitter:

I’m just now getting up to speed on the problems at DOC in the District.

This is UNBELIEVABLE.

These defendants now have a civil rights suit against DC.

The pardon’s were dated yesterday – 1/20. Any lawful authority to keep a defendant in custody ended at 11:59 pm.

Beyond that it was an “unlawful seizure” in violation of the 4th Amendment.

Defendants are housed at DOC under a contract with the U.S. Marshal’s Service because there is not U.S. Govt holding facility in DC.

The U.S. Marshal for the District of Columbia is a Presidential Appointee, and the USMS is part of the Justice Department. So, what is apparently happening now is the Trump DOJ has directed the USMS to go into the DOC and physically remove those J6 defendants still being held.

If I was giving the instructions, I would have DOC officials removed in handcuffs and taken across the river to EDVA to be held pending a investigation into Sec. 242 violations.

As Sen. Lee posted yesterday — maybe it is time for Congress to revisit “Home Rule” in DC.

The DC jail has been known for terrible conditions and extremely poor treatment of J6 defendants. I do not understand what the DC DOC stands to gain by this intransigence. All they’re doing now is stacking civil rights lawsuits and payouts for all those being illegally held.