Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson joined conservative justices in a landmark decision Friday, potentially leading to the dismissal or overturning of numerous cases related to the January 6, 2021, riot at the US Capitol.
In the Fischer case, a 6-3 majority ruled that the Department of Justice had overstepped its authority in applying 1512(c)(2), a law that prohibits destruction of evidence but was not intended for protests.
Under the ruling, defendants cannot be prosecuted under the statute unless they can be shown to have interfered with the delivery of documents to Congress. This decision has significant implications for hundreds of individuals, including former President Donald Trump, who have been charged under the statute.
Justice Amy Coney Barrett, a conservative jurist nominated by Trump, penned a dissenting opinion, joined by the court’s minority. She argued that 1512(c)(2) was not intended for use against riots, but rather should be interpreted according to its original text.
The case, Fischer v. United States, No. 23-5572, has far-reaching implications for the legal system and the ongoing investigations into the January 6 riot.
