Dresch pleads not guilty in DC

It took months for Karl Dresch’s transportation to Washington, D.C., but he has been lodged in jail in the nation’s capital and made his first appearance in federal court. Public Defender Elizabeth LaCosse represented Dresch while he was awaiting extradition in Marquette. She described her role as mostly clerical. His court date there did not include a weighing of the charges against him. LaCosse says the judge will ask a defendant straightforward questions like if he has been rightfully identified and other basic information.

Dresch is facing charges related to his role on January 6th at the US Capitol Building and possession of firearms in violation of a prior felony conviction. He was arrested later that month, but it often takes time to move someone wanted for trial related to a crime that happened elsewhere. LaCosse says it involves going from local jail to local jail as transportation allows. The delay could prove beneficial to Dresch.

A recent Reuters article details how federal prosecutors are walking back many of their initial claims. The news agency reports, “The Justice Department has since acknowledged in court hearings that some of its evidence concerning the riot – carried out by a mob of supporters of former President Donald Trump to try to overturn his election loss – is less damning than it initially indicated.

The department suffered another blow [last] week when U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta threatened to impose a gag order on prosecutors after Michael Sherwin, its former head prosecutor on the Capitol cases, told CBS’s “60 Minutes” program that evidence pointed toward sedition charges against some defendants.”

The Detroit News says Dresch will ask for bond and to be subjected to electronic monitoring while waiting for trial.