Study Finds January 6 Felons Got Longer Sentences Than Similar Defendants
Drexel Law Review's Sam Merchant compared identical statutes and found Capitol breach felons got harsher terms despite thinner criminal records.
- Sam J. Merchant published the comparison in Drexel Law Review, volume 17, in April 2024.
- Merchant found the same felony charges brought outside the Capitol case ended in shorter average sentences.
- Convicted January 6 defendants averaged less prior criminal history than the non-January 6 comparison group.
Why it matters: Equal justice ends the moment two men convicted under the same statute receive different sentences for different reasons.
Drexel Law Review — Sam J. Merchant, "The Relative Severity of Criminal Sentences in the January 6, 2021, Capitol Breach Cases," 17 Drexel L. Rev. 171 (April 2024) ↗ · Sep 8, 20269/8/26