On Wednesday, NBC4 Washington's Scott MacFarlane offered up new details on the demand of alleged January 6 Capitol rioter Kyle Fitzsimons to move his criminal trial from D.C. to his home state of Maine.
Fitzsimons is accused of grabbing police officers during the Capitol riot while dressed in a butcher coat.
Previously, MacFarlane reported that his defense complained a jury based in D.C. will be too biased toward President Joe Biden and have been "barraged with political propaganda" — a similar argument that Donald Trump ally Roger Stone attempted to use during his own trial for witness tampering and extortion.
In the latest report by MacFarlane, Fitzsimon's counsel is now complaining that he cannot get a fair trial in D.C. due to "significant media attention," including stories calling him a "xenophobic" and a "racist conspiracy theorist."
US Capitol riot defendant Kyle Fitzsimons of Maine asks court to move case from DC to... Maine\n\nDefense argues, "Mr. Fitzsimons has been the focus of significant media attention. One news story calls Mr.\nFitzsimons a \u201cracist conspiracy theorist. Another.. as racist & xenophobic\u201dpic.twitter.com/222oQtVSpA— Scott MacFarlane (@Scott MacFarlane) 1635976802
According to MacFarlane, Fitzsimons is one of many accused Capitol rioters who have asked for a change of venue, none of whom have so far been granted their request.
Fitzsimons is also not alone in complaining that media scrutiny has impacted their lives unfairly. One other rioter, Dona Bissey of Indiana, begged the court for mercy at sentencing because she is being "shunned" in her hometown and her hair salon has suffered "huge losses."
