A federal judge threatened to arrest a Proud Boy charged in connection with the Capitol riot for refusing to wear a mask when meeting with pre-trial services officers, because it stresses him out, according to the Washington Post.
Daniel Goodwyn, 32 was arrested at his parents’ home in Texas in January. At the time, at least one person in the home thought they had COVID. When agents placed a mask on Goodwyn’s face he “attempted to chew through the mask and spit the mask out,” prosecutors said.
Goodwyn was released to home confinement in February. But prosecutors say he still refuses to wear a mask, show up to meetings or report his location. They were trying to revoke his pre-trial release, calling his behavior “petulant and insolent.”
Since his arrest, Goodwyn has “flouted the conditions, making clear that he does not appreciate the privilege of pre-trial release provided to him by the Court,” prosecutors said.
Asked by U.S. District Judge Reggie Walton why he wouldn’t wear a mask Goodwyn said “it stresses me out,” adding “I believe I would not cause someone to die by not wearing a mask.”
“There have been over 600,000 people who have died as a result of coming into contact with this virus, so I don’t care if you believe it or not,” Walton told him. “I’m not going to be a part of other people dying because of what you don’t believe.”
Goodwyn’s attorney Daniel Hull told the judge that his client has autism which makes wearing a mask difficult.
“He cannot wear a mask…inside a building without becoming very anxious. It is an extraordinarily stressful thing for him,” Hull said according to Newsweek. “He feels like he’s being asked to do things that he can’t physically and from a mental health standpoint can’t do.”
Hull was asked to provide written documentation for an autism diagnosis.
Walton did not issue a warrant for Goodwyn’s arrest, on Friday instead, he decided to order Goodwyn to wear a mask whenever he meets with pre-trial services or appears in court.
“If you can’t do that I’m going to have no alternative [but] to lock you up and keep you locked up until this case is resolved,” Walton said. “We have a virus that is killing people and people don’t have to put their lives at risk because they’ve come into contact with you as a result of you being a part of the court system,” Walton added.
“I understand [but] I’m not going to do that, sir,” Goodwyn replied. He added that Texas doesn’t require masks indoors.
“I don’t care what the law in Texas is,” Walton shot back. “You don’t make the rules. You will be arrested.”
Goodwyn faces multiple federal charges for disorderly conduct and entering the US Capitol, and one felony count of obstruction of an official proceeding. He has pleaded not guilty.
