Proud Boy begs judge not to send him back to jail where other Capitol rioters are getting beaten up

The legal team for the self-professed “Sergeant of Arms” of the far-right group Proud Boys is asking a federal judge not to send their client to jail, partly because other people charged and convicted for partaking in the storming of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6 have allegedly been the target of abuse behind bars, Law&Crime reports.

Lawyers for 30-year-old Ethan Nordean cited recent reports detailing alleged assaults and poor treatment of Capitol riot defendants by jail guards. The specific article cited by Nordean’s lawyers was published by POLITICO, but has been deleted from the outlet’s website some reason. Insider points out that the POLITICO article detailed one defendant’s claim that another defendant “was severely beaten by correctional officers” and is now blind in one eye with a “skull fracture and detached retina.”

The defendant reportedly claimed that other accused Capitol rioters have experienced violence and threats from guards.

Nordean’s lawyers say they have personally learned of another Capitol riot defendant who face abuse from guards at a D.C. facility.

“Guards would snap photographs of the defendant with their phones without his consent, which they appeared to be sharing with other parties through their phones,” Nordean’s lawyers wrote in their complaint.

Nordean, who is also known as Rufio Panman, was released on bail in March. His charges related to the Capitol riot include conspiracy, obstruction of law enforcement during civil disorder, destruction of government property, and disorderly conduct.