First MAGA rioter trial could trigger wave of guilty pleas from those maintaining innocence: CNN's Ryan Nobles

On Monday, jury selection began for the case of Guy Reffitt, a Texas oilworker with ties to the militia group the Three Percenters who faces obstruction of Congress and weapons charges for his role in the January 6 Capitol insurrection — the first such defendant to go to trial.

The trial of Reffitt, who threatened to kill his family if they turned him in and now claims he is "willing to die" over his actions, could ultimately be consequential, said CNN's Ryan Nobles. Indeed, he said, if Reffitt is convicted, it might trigger a wave of new guilty pleas from other rioters taking their cases to court.

"There are hundreds of rioters lined up on the court docket after him," said anchor Jake Tapper. "What might this trial outcome mean for the rest of them?"

"There are 750 total defendants right now," said Nobles. "Only about a third have already pled guilty. That means there are 500 still awaiting trial. If the Justice Department is successful in this prosecution, it could lead to many of them just deciding to not risk a trial and just taking a plea deal. Particularly because what the Justice Department is attempting to do something unique. It is not often that they are dealing with obstruction of Congress charges, especially in an environment like this that led to the January 6th insurrection."

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"If they successfully make that case with him, it should playing it easier to make that case with many of the other defendants, particularly because the jury pool will come from that same group of people here in Washington, D.C.," continued Nobles. "So, Jake, if they're successful, it could mean a lot more plea deals. If they're unsuccessful, it could mean a lot more trials."

Watch below:

Ryan Nobles says Guy Reffitt trial could trigger new guilty pleas from Capitol rioterswww.youtube.com