Judge denies motions to dismiss cases against Jan. 6 defendants from Polk County

A federal judge has denied a motion to dismiss charges against three local residents accused of crimes related to the U.S. Capitol attack.

U.S. District Judge Carl J. Nichols of the District of Columbia issued an order Wednesday rejecting the bid to dismiss the case made by lawyers for Joshua Doolin of Polk City, Olivia Pollock of Lakeland and Michael Perkins of Plant City.

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Nichols also denied a series of motions from Doolin’s lawyer that sought to limit details the prosecution may introduce at the joint trial, scheduled to begin March 6.

Doolin’s lawyer, Allen Orenberg of Potomac, Maryland, had asked that the prosecutors be barred from using such terms as “rioters,” “breach,” “confrontation,” “anti-government extremism,” “insurrectionists” and “mob” during the trial.

He also filed a motion to forbid any mention of weapons, ammunition or body armor with regard to Doolin.

Nichols had previously rejected Orenberg’s request for the trial to be moved out of Washington, D.C.

Nichols denied a motion from prosecutors to prevent Doolin from introducing evidence arguing that he believed he had permission from former President Donald Trump to be at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. Orenberg has indicated that he might assert such a defense. He also rejected prosecution requests to limit evidence about the location of U.S. Capitol Police surveillance cameras and to limit the cross-examination of Secret Service agents.

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Pollock and Perkins are accused of assaulting police officers outside the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, during a violent protest by supporters of former President Donald Trump objecting to the certification of the 2020 presidential election results. Doolin is charged with disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds and theft of government property, among other alleged crimes.

All three have been free on bond with restrictions since their arrests in June 2021.

Pollock’s younger brother, Jonathan Pollock, was also indicted on charges that include assaulting police officers. He remains a fugitive.

Pollock and Doolin, who are cousins, are among six current and former Polk County residents who have been indicted on charges related to the U.S. Capitol attack. Joseph Hutchinson III, who lived in Lakeland at the time of the event and has since moved to Georgia, was originally listed as a co-defendant with Pollock, Perkins and Doolin. His case was separated after Hutchinson gave notice that he intends to represent himself at his trial.

This article originally appeared on The Ledger: Judge denies bids to dismiss charges against Polk's Jan. 6 defendants