An Iowa man arrested in connection with the deadly January 6 Capitol riot who thought he was storming the White House, was granted pretrial release on Tuesday.
Douglas Jensen, 41 was among the first members of the pro-Trump mob to push his way inside the United States Capitol building wearing a ‘Q t-shirt’ and confronted Capitol Police officer Eugene Goodman.
Jensen turned himself in on January 8, two days after the Capitol riot. A judge in Des Moines initially ruled that he could be released pending trial, but Judge Timothy Kelly overruled that decision, and Jensen has been in custody since then.
Last month, Jensen and his attorneys renewed their motion seeking pretrial release. They argued in their motion that he has rejected his former beliefs in the QAnon conspiracy theory and denied leading anyone else during the attack or committing any acts of violence, according to the Des Moines Register.
The judge did not believe Jensen abandoned the belief in the QAnon conspiracy that led him to participate in the Jan. 6 riot, but was open to considering his release.
Prosecutors said in their brief at the time that Jensen drove 16 hours non-stop after working a full construction shift to Washington to storm the Capitol where he was captured on video telling rioters to “storm the White House, that’s what we do.”
Newly released videos show Jensen saying “this is me touching the fucking White House,” with his hands on the Capitol building. “I’m at the the White House just son you know,” he added.
On Tuesday, Judge Kelly granted Jensen pretrial release saying he didn’t appear to have planned his participation in the insurrection because, “he had no basic understanding of where he even was that day.”
Kelly ordered Jensen to avoid contact with others involved in Jan 6, not possess a firearm, refrain from alcohol use, stay away from DC except for court and avoid any internet capable devices.
Jensen faces multiple charges in connection with the riot, including one alleging that he possessed a knife during the riot. He has pleaded not guilty.
