Court Orders Return of Items to QAnon Shaman

In a significant ruling, a federal judge has ordered the return of Jacob Chansley’s makeshift spear and horned helmet, which he famously carried during the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot. Chansley, known as the "QAnon Shaman," was among the first rioters to breach the Capitol as Congress convened to certify President Joe Biden's election victory over Donald Trump. The Department of Justice (DOJ) had sought to retain Chansley’s property, citing his ongoing legal challenges regarding his conviction. Judge Royce Lamberth, presiding over the case in Washington, D.C., stated that the DOJ failed to justify the need to keep Chansley’s items, which have become emblematic of the riot. He noted that while Chansley expressed remorse during his sentencing, the government did not adequately explain why it required possession of the artifacts. Lamberth emphasized that Chansley, despite his notoriety, was one of many who participated in the riot that day. Chansley was one of the first individuals charged by the DOJ, which has since filed charges against nearly 1,500 defendants related to the Capitol insurrection. He pleaded guilty to obstruction of an official proceeding and was sentenced to 41 months in prison in November 2021. Following his early release in March 2023, Chansley has since returned to live with his mother.