According to court documents, Jesse James Rumson, the individual who participated in the U.S. Capitol riot on January 6, 2021, while dressed in a panda costume, has been found guilty of assaulting a law enforcement officer.
In a recent development, Rumson made the decision to forego a jury trial and instead opt for a bench trial earlier this month. Consequently, U.S. District Judge Carl Nichols convicted him on all eight counts for assaulting and resisting Prince George’s County Cpl. Scott Ainsworth, as well as engaging in disorderly conduct on the Capitol grounds. Rumson’s sentencing is scheduled for September.
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On January 6, 2021, when rioters broke a door in the Senate wing, Rumson swiftly leaped over railings and was one of the first twenty individuals to gain access to the building through that entryway, according to prosecutors. Visual evidence from that day captures Rumson, donning a panda costume head, confidently brandishing a white flag with the words “Don’t tread on me” emblazoned on it. Online communities have since referred to him as “#SeditionPanda,” as mentioned in charging papers.
As Rumson found himself inside the Capitol, it was revealed by prosecutors that he had misplaced his panda head. To make matters worse, he was allegedly handcuffed and compelled to exit the Capitol through a different door.
During the trial, prosecutors presented numerous photographs of Rumson wearing the panda headpiece, as well as several images of him without it. It is important to note that Rumson’s arrest took place in February 2023, which was over two years after the assault on the Capitol.
According to NBC News, last week, Officer Ainsworth testified about the assault by Rumson.
The Justice Department has taken action against over 1,200 criminal cases following the Jan. 6 Capitol assault. Out of these cases, more than 700 individuals have already admitted guilt to a range of charges, and many others have been convicted.
