Capitol rioter's lawyer 'saved him from himself' after he nearly blew up plea deal: reporter

A January 6th defendant appeared to get cold feet about accepting a plea agreement on Monday, until his lawyer stepped in and "saved [him] from himself."

According to NBC News' Ryan Reilly, Capitol rioter Edward Rodriguez admitted in court on Monday that he deployed bear spray against police officers during the riots at the Capitol, although he said he wasn't sure what the chemical irritant would do and he even did a Google search for "What does bear spray do to humans?" afterward.

Reilly writes that, after hearing the judge in his case explain the significant possible prison sentence he faces for assaulting police officers, Rodriguez began to wonder whether he would have a better chance at securing a better outcome were he allowed to "explain himself" at a full bench trial.

"Basically zero chance this works out better for him," commented Reilly of Rodriguez's consideration of taking his case to trial.

In the end, reports Reilly, Rodriguez's attorney "saved [him] from himself" and got him to enter a guilty plea that was accepted by the court. He will now face sentencing this coming July.

Rodriguez was arrested two years ago and charged with assaulting, resisting or impeding certain officers and engaging in physical violence on Capitol grounds, among other crimes.