On July 11, 2026, a federal judge agreed to dismiss the convictions of four members of the far-right Proud Boys group for their involvement in the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot. District Judge Timothy Kelly signed off on the Justice Department's motion to vacate the convictions of Ethan Nordean, Joseph Biggs, Zachary Rehl, and Dominic Pezzola, permanently closing the case.

Judge Kelly, appointed by former President Donald Trump in 2017, expressed disapproval of the administration's decision but acknowledged the court's limited options. He noted that President Trump's views on the prosecution of the January 6 attackers—whether based on fact or fiction—are well known, as is his intention to grant clemency through an Executive Order. Kelly wrote, "There is little mystery about why the Government is moving to dismiss this case, or whether dismissal is in fact what the Executive seeks."

The Justice Department previously stated that Nordean and Pezzola "participated in every consequential breach at the Capitol," leading Proud Boys in dismantling barricades, breaching the Capitol building, assaulting police, and causing property destruction. In 2023, Nordean, Biggs, and Rehl were convicted of seditious conspiracy and sentenced to lengthy prison terms. Pezzola became a recognizable figure after video showed him smashing a Capitol window with a riot shield.

Kelly emphasized that the decision to abandon prosecution rests solely with the Executive Branch and that the court's granting of the motion should not be mistaken for agreement with that decision. He also noted that denying the motion would not lead to a retrial, as the court lacks authority to compel prosecution.

This dismissal follows President Trump's sweeping pardons of January 2025, which had already cleared many related cases. Enrique Tarrio, another Proud Boys member sentenced to 22 years in 2023 and granted clemency by Trump, congratulated the four men after the ruling.

He was previously a campaign digital reporter covering President Trump's 2024 campaign and served as an associate producer for "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan."

Sources