1 00:00:01,720 --> 00:00:04,920 Speaker 1: Cool Zone Media. 2 00:00:05,400 --> 00:00:07,720 Speaker 2: Hello, and welcome back to It could happen here. I 3 00:00:07,760 --> 00:00:10,639 Speaker 2: am once again your guest host, Molly Conger, and today 4 00:00:10,640 --> 00:00:13,760 Speaker 2: I'm going to tell you about something that is happening 5 00:00:14,160 --> 00:00:18,840 Speaker 2: here here being my hometown of Charlottesville, Virginia. You might 6 00:00:18,840 --> 00:00:21,560 Speaker 2: have seen the news recently that Patriot Front leader Thomas 7 00:00:21,640 --> 00:00:24,000 Speaker 2: Ryan Russo was arrested in Texas on an out of 8 00:00:24,000 --> 00:00:28,560 Speaker 2: state felony warrant. On February twenty third, authorities in McLennan County, Texas, 9 00:00:28,680 --> 00:00:32,000 Speaker 2: arrested Rousseau and booked him into the county jail. The 10 00:00:32,080 --> 00:00:36,160 Speaker 2: jail roster lists the offense as burn object to intimidate 11 00:00:36,520 --> 00:00:40,720 Speaker 2: OH slash s that OS means out of state, and 12 00:00:40,760 --> 00:00:43,960 Speaker 2: it lists Virginia as the state issuing the warrant. And 13 00:00:44,080 --> 00:00:46,879 Speaker 2: Rousseau's arrest certainly made a splash when the news hit. 14 00:00:47,000 --> 00:00:50,000 Speaker 2: Nazi telegram channels lit up with posts about his arrest. 15 00:00:50,120 --> 00:00:53,760 Speaker 2: Gab feeds were flooded with hastily made graphics decrying this 16 00:00:53,880 --> 00:00:57,960 Speaker 2: political persecution. This sudden spike and interest in a little 17 00:00:58,040 --> 00:01:01,240 Speaker 2: used Virginia Code section might make you think Russeau was 18 00:01:01,280 --> 00:01:03,320 Speaker 2: the first person to be taken into custody on this 19 00:01:03,440 --> 00:01:06,760 Speaker 2: charge that perhaps he was targeted for arrest in some 20 00:01:06,880 --> 00:01:09,240 Speaker 2: kind of grand political plan to take him out of 21 00:01:09,280 --> 00:01:13,400 Speaker 2: the game. But he is in fact the eleventh person 22 00:01:13,600 --> 00:01:16,520 Speaker 2: to be arrested in just the last year for participating 23 00:01:16,520 --> 00:01:19,080 Speaker 2: in the Tiki Torch march at the University of Virginia 24 00:01:19,160 --> 00:01:23,320 Speaker 2: on August eleventh, twenty seventeen. These cases have been working 25 00:01:23,360 --> 00:01:25,479 Speaker 2: their way through the system here for long enough that 26 00:01:25,560 --> 00:01:28,000 Speaker 2: some of Russeau's Code defendants have not only already been 27 00:01:28,040 --> 00:01:31,319 Speaker 2: found guilty, they've served their time and gotten back out. 28 00:01:32,319 --> 00:01:34,520 Speaker 2: But with this sudden surge and interest in this case, 29 00:01:34,800 --> 00:01:36,560 Speaker 2: I want to give you all a little background on 30 00:01:36,720 --> 00:01:39,920 Speaker 2: the other ten. If you'll indulge me for a moment, though, 31 00:01:40,200 --> 00:01:41,920 Speaker 2: I'd like to read you something I wrote nearly a 32 00:01:42,000 --> 00:01:45,399 Speaker 2: year ago, just as the first cases were being unsealed. 33 00:01:46,720 --> 00:01:49,480 Speaker 2: There is no statute of limitations on felonies in Virginia. 34 00:01:50,320 --> 00:01:53,760 Speaker 2: With that in mind, here's section eighteen point two Dash 35 00:01:53,800 --> 00:01:57,480 Speaker 2: four twenty three point oh one Dash B of the 36 00:01:57,520 --> 00:02:01,680 Speaker 2: Code of Virginia. Burning objects on property of another or 37 00:02:01,680 --> 00:02:05,000 Speaker 2: a highway or other public place with intent to intimidate 38 00:02:05,680 --> 00:02:08,760 Speaker 2: any person who with the intent of intimidating any person 39 00:02:08,840 --> 00:02:11,400 Speaker 2: or group of persons burns an object on a highway 40 00:02:11,480 --> 00:02:14,120 Speaker 2: or other public place in a manner having a direct 41 00:02:14,120 --> 00:02:17,279 Speaker 2: tendency to place another person in reasonable fear or apprehension 42 00:02:17,320 --> 00:02:20,560 Speaker 2: of death or bodily injury is guilty of a Class 43 00:02:20,600 --> 00:02:25,720 Speaker 2: six felony. On August eleventh, twenty seventeen, hundreds of torch 44 00:02:25,760 --> 00:02:28,800 Speaker 2: bearing marchers traversed the grounds of the University of Virginia. 45 00:02:29,560 --> 00:02:32,760 Speaker 2: They'd come to Charlottesville from across the country, taking Friday 46 00:02:32,760 --> 00:02:35,240 Speaker 2: morning flights or taking turns at the wheel for cross 47 00:02:35,280 --> 00:02:37,600 Speaker 2: country drives, and rented vans with guys they met on 48 00:02:37,639 --> 00:02:41,760 Speaker 2: message boards. Arriving early before the big event. The following morning, 49 00:02:42,360 --> 00:02:45,400 Speaker 2: they gathered at Nameless Field, a grassy acre near the 50 00:02:45,560 --> 00:02:49,520 Speaker 2: Via tennis courts with a deceptive name, and distributed tiki torches. 51 00:02:50,280 --> 00:02:52,680 Speaker 2: Men with walkie talkies clipped to their belts, some with 52 00:02:52,760 --> 00:02:57,200 Speaker 2: wired earpieces, barked orders. Elliott Kleine, an ambitious young white 53 00:02:57,280 --> 00:03:00,919 Speaker 2: nationalist organizer calling himself Eli Moseley to the twentieth century 54 00:03:00,919 --> 00:03:04,560 Speaker 2: British fascist Oswald Mosley, shouted at the crowd as they 55 00:03:04,600 --> 00:03:08,400 Speaker 2: formed into a line or picking big guys, no females. 56 00:03:09,560 --> 00:03:11,880 Speaker 2: Klein and his security team would be selecting the biggest 57 00:03:11,880 --> 00:03:14,480 Speaker 2: marshers to lay down their torches and keep the perimeter 58 00:03:14,560 --> 00:03:17,600 Speaker 2: as the march moved through the university grounds, they might 59 00:03:17,639 --> 00:03:21,160 Speaker 2: need their hands free. The march wound its way through grounds, 60 00:03:21,560 --> 00:03:23,760 Speaker 2: up the lawn, then up the steps of the University 61 00:03:23,800 --> 00:03:27,320 Speaker 2: of Virginia's iconic rotunda. On the other side of the rotunda, 62 00:03:27,440 --> 00:03:30,680 Speaker 2: gathered near the statue of Thomas Jefferson, a small group 63 00:03:30,720 --> 00:03:34,560 Speaker 2: of anti racist protesters waited. In her testimony during a 64 00:03:34,600 --> 00:03:36,920 Speaker 2: later civil trial, one of the women who was terrorized 65 00:03:36,920 --> 00:03:39,400 Speaker 2: that night said of the sound of the approaching crowd. 66 00:03:40,120 --> 00:03:43,080 Speaker 2: When we heard the roaring, we just linked arms and 67 00:03:43,120 --> 00:03:47,160 Speaker 2: held hands and started to sing. She said. At first 68 00:03:47,240 --> 00:03:52,680 Speaker 2: it sounded like thunder, like the earth was growling. As 69 00:03:52,720 --> 00:03:54,880 Speaker 2: they grew closer, but before she could see the light 70 00:03:54,920 --> 00:03:57,600 Speaker 2: of the torches, she began to make out the chance 71 00:03:58,680 --> 00:04:02,520 Speaker 2: hundreds of voices raised in Unison, shouting blood and soil. 72 00:04:03,600 --> 00:04:06,600 Speaker 2: Testifying about that night four years later, she said she 73 00:04:06,640 --> 00:04:10,760 Speaker 2: could still hear it sometimes in her nightmares, and by 74 00:04:10,760 --> 00:04:13,320 Speaker 2: the time the small group of mostly students realized the 75 00:04:13,360 --> 00:04:16,560 Speaker 2: magnitude and ferocity of the approaching mob, it was too late. 76 00:04:17,400 --> 00:04:20,080 Speaker 2: They were surrounded fully encircled at the base of the 77 00:04:20,120 --> 00:04:24,200 Speaker 2: statue by hundreds of torch wielding white supremacists for a 78 00:04:24,200 --> 00:04:26,680 Speaker 2: few minutes, minutes that those trapped at the base of 79 00:04:26,720 --> 00:04:29,120 Speaker 2: the statue said they believed might be their last. As 80 00:04:29,160 --> 00:04:32,320 Speaker 2: they were doused in lighter fluid, maced, and punched. There 81 00:04:32,320 --> 00:04:35,279 Speaker 2: was a melee. The police made no move to intervene, 82 00:04:35,279 --> 00:04:38,040 Speaker 2: as streams of pepper spray were let loose and cries 83 00:04:38,080 --> 00:04:41,080 Speaker 2: of medic were audible above the roar of you will 84 00:04:41,160 --> 00:04:44,919 Speaker 2: not replace us. When the trapped counter protesters were finally 85 00:04:44,960 --> 00:04:48,080 Speaker 2: able to flee, stumbling blindly with burning eyes and covering 86 00:04:48,120 --> 00:04:50,560 Speaker 2: their heads in a hail storm of fists and torches, 87 00:04:51,120 --> 00:04:55,479 Speaker 2: the marchers declared victory. Richard Spencer, an organizer of that 88 00:04:55,520 --> 00:04:58,080 Speaker 2: weekend's rally, climbed the base of the statue and delivered 89 00:04:58,080 --> 00:05:00,560 Speaker 2: a victory speech to the still roaring crow out now 90 00:05:00,600 --> 00:05:05,480 Speaker 2: shouting hail, victory, Hail Spencer. Spencer told them, we occupy 91 00:05:05,560 --> 00:05:07,640 Speaker 2: this ground. We won. 92 00:05:13,400 --> 00:05:33,039 Speaker 3: Girls, are all right, all right? All right? Were these 93 00:05:33,120 --> 00:05:35,600 Speaker 3: freaks on these rights. 94 00:05:36,360 --> 00:05:37,279 Speaker 4: By this ground? 95 00:05:37,400 --> 00:05:40,680 Speaker 3: We only one? 96 00:05:45,400 --> 00:05:47,640 Speaker 4: What in the hell are we doing out here? What 97 00:05:47,680 --> 00:05:50,560 Speaker 4: in the hell are we doing risking our lives. Are 98 00:05:50,600 --> 00:05:54,760 Speaker 4: were risking our lives, for our people, for our ancestors, 99 00:05:54,960 --> 00:06:05,120 Speaker 4: for our future. That's how we're doing what you're think 100 00:06:05,120 --> 00:06:09,760 Speaker 4: an antick arts long, you're thinking antibuck and feed. 101 00:06:15,279 --> 00:06:19,080 Speaker 2: The marchers dispersed to their various hotels, campgrounds and airbnbs. 102 00:06:19,640 --> 00:06:22,200 Speaker 2: Spencer later said cheekly that he booked his under the 103 00:06:22,200 --> 00:06:26,839 Speaker 2: pseudonym literally Hitler. They had to rest up for the 104 00:06:26,839 --> 00:06:30,560 Speaker 2: real battle in the morning, and while they slept, a 105 00:06:30,600 --> 00:06:34,000 Speaker 2: young man from Ohio was driving through the night, perhaps 106 00:06:34,000 --> 00:06:36,919 Speaker 2: already knowing that his gray Dodge Challenger would be impounded 107 00:06:36,920 --> 00:06:40,800 Speaker 2: as a murder weapon. Before he slept again, he checked 108 00:06:40,800 --> 00:06:44,800 Speaker 2: Twitter and retweeted a post David Duke had tweeted images 109 00:06:44,839 --> 00:06:47,719 Speaker 2: of the Torch March celebrating the alt right success that 110 00:06:47,800 --> 00:06:51,559 Speaker 2: evening with the caption our people on the march, will 111 00:06:51,600 --> 00:06:54,560 Speaker 2: you be at Unite the Right tomorrow. As he left 112 00:06:54,600 --> 00:06:57,200 Speaker 2: Ohio that evening, the young man and the Dodge Challenger 113 00:06:57,240 --> 00:06:59,800 Speaker 2: got a text from his mother, a text weave all 114 00:07:00,000 --> 00:07:05,240 Speaker 2: probably gotten from our mothers. She said, be careful and 115 00:07:05,320 --> 00:07:07,880 Speaker 2: James Alex Fields Junior, in one of the last texts 116 00:07:07,880 --> 00:07:11,120 Speaker 2: he sent before a lifetime behind bars, replied to his 117 00:07:11,200 --> 00:07:15,600 Speaker 2: mother with a photograph of Hitler and the words we 118 00:07:15,680 --> 00:07:21,080 Speaker 2: are not the ones who need to be careful. Years later, 119 00:07:21,240 --> 00:07:24,960 Speaker 2: the word Charlesville has become synonymous with those two fused images, 120 00:07:25,360 --> 00:07:29,080 Speaker 2: Fields's mangled challenger and an iconic photo of the crowd 121 00:07:29,360 --> 00:07:33,720 Speaker 2: torches and hands the rotunda at their backs. Fields was 122 00:07:33,760 --> 00:07:36,720 Speaker 2: convicted both in state and federal court of Heather Hire's 123 00:07:36,800 --> 00:07:41,040 Speaker 2: murder and multiple counts of aggravated malicious wounding. Daniel Bordon, 124 00:07:41,200 --> 00:07:45,040 Speaker 2: Alex Ramos, Jacob Goodwin, and Tyler Watkins went away for 125 00:07:45,120 --> 00:07:48,520 Speaker 2: a brutal gang beating of a young black man. Richard Preston, 126 00:07:48,600 --> 00:07:51,160 Speaker 2: an imperial wizard in the Ku Klux Klan, did some 127 00:07:51,240 --> 00:07:53,640 Speaker 2: time for discharging his firearm in the general direction of 128 00:07:53,680 --> 00:07:58,280 Speaker 2: another young black man while shouting die and word. But 129 00:07:58,360 --> 00:08:00,480 Speaker 2: all in all, for all the violence of both days, 130 00:08:00,720 --> 00:08:03,040 Speaker 2: there was a curious reluctance to bring charges for anything 131 00:08:03,080 --> 00:08:05,840 Speaker 2: that didn't rise to the level of attempted murder, and 132 00:08:05,920 --> 00:08:09,480 Speaker 2: some things that did. There are thousands of photographs videos 133 00:08:09,480 --> 00:08:14,000 Speaker 2: from every conceivable angle taken by victims, bystanders, professional photojournalists, 134 00:08:14,000 --> 00:08:18,560 Speaker 2: and even the marchers themselves. Their faces are uncovered, their 135 00:08:18,600 --> 00:08:23,640 Speaker 2: motives are clear, and the law is fairly straightforward, but 136 00:08:23,680 --> 00:08:27,120 Speaker 2: the University of Virginia lies within the jurisdiction of Albemarle County. 137 00:08:27,760 --> 00:08:31,480 Speaker 2: In twenty seventeen, Apemwal County commonwealths Attorney Robert Tracy chose 138 00:08:31,520 --> 00:08:34,240 Speaker 2: not to bring any burning objects cases under Section eighteen 139 00:08:34,280 --> 00:08:37,000 Speaker 2: point two Dash four twenty three. He didn't think he 140 00:08:37,000 --> 00:08:40,000 Speaker 2: could make a case against the tiki torch mob, or 141 00:08:40,000 --> 00:08:43,199 Speaker 2: maybe he didn't want to. The commonwealths Attorney for the 142 00:08:43,240 --> 00:08:45,440 Speaker 2: City of Charlesville all the time, Dave Chapman, wrote in 143 00:08:45,440 --> 00:08:47,400 Speaker 2: a memo in October of that year that he did 144 00:08:47,400 --> 00:08:50,160 Speaker 2: believe the cases could be made, but they weren't his 145 00:08:50,240 --> 00:08:54,560 Speaker 2: to prosecute. But in Virginia, prosecutors come and go, and 146 00:08:54,600 --> 00:08:59,000 Speaker 2: a felony lives forever. In a October twenty nineteen debate 147 00:08:59,040 --> 00:09:02,840 Speaker 2: between then sitting Prosecutor Robert Tracy and his challenger, Jim Hinchley, 148 00:09:03,880 --> 00:09:06,720 Speaker 2: Tracy again scoffed at the idea of indicting these cases, 149 00:09:07,600 --> 00:09:10,199 Speaker 2: even saying that Hindley's belief that it was possible was 150 00:09:10,240 --> 00:09:12,480 Speaker 2: a sign he was inexperienced and wrong for the job. 151 00:09:13,720 --> 00:09:17,560 Speaker 2: A month later, Hineley won the election, and now it 152 00:09:17,600 --> 00:09:20,000 Speaker 2: seems he's trying to make good on his campaign promise 153 00:09:20,320 --> 00:09:23,760 Speaker 2: of proving Robert Tracy wrong. In February twenty twenty three, 154 00:09:23,840 --> 00:09:27,600 Speaker 2: the Albumole County Commonwealth's Atorney's office quietly sought and got 155 00:09:27,960 --> 00:09:31,600 Speaker 2: indictments under the Burning object Statute. A grand jury agreed 156 00:09:31,600 --> 00:09:35,200 Speaker 2: with Hindley there was probable cause to believe that objects 157 00:09:35,200 --> 00:09:39,320 Speaker 2: had been burned with the intent to intimidate. Fugitive warrants 158 00:09:39,320 --> 00:09:42,319 Speaker 2: were issued, arrests were made by local police and far 159 00:09:42,400 --> 00:09:46,600 Speaker 2: ranging jurisdictions, And now, nearly six years after that hot 160 00:09:46,679 --> 00:09:50,679 Speaker 2: night in August, the extraditions are starting. I want to 161 00:09:50,720 --> 00:09:52,480 Speaker 2: share with you the stories of the men who carried 162 00:09:52,520 --> 00:09:55,559 Speaker 2: torches that night. Some of them are now facing felony 163 00:09:55,600 --> 00:09:59,280 Speaker 2: charges of Almorle County. Others may come to share that fate. 164 00:10:00,320 --> 00:10:02,600 Speaker 2: After the crowd dispersed that night, and after the deadly 165 00:10:02,679 --> 00:10:07,439 Speaker 2: rally the next morning, those men went home. Some started businesses, 166 00:10:08,160 --> 00:10:12,960 Speaker 2: some died, Some trafficked drugs, beat their wives, choked their girlfriends, 167 00:10:13,040 --> 00:10:16,000 Speaker 2: went to grad school, went to prison, started families, ran 168 00:10:16,040 --> 00:10:19,320 Speaker 2: for office, left the movement, tried to lead the movement, 169 00:10:20,040 --> 00:10:23,160 Speaker 2: or just tried to disappear. There are as many stories 170 00:10:23,200 --> 00:10:25,280 Speaker 2: as there were flames in the night, when their voices 171 00:10:25,360 --> 00:10:31,400 Speaker 2: joined as one, shouting, Jews will not replace us, then 172 00:10:31,520 --> 00:10:35,960 Speaker 2: going their separate ways back to the communities they came from. 173 00:10:36,640 --> 00:10:39,640 Speaker 2: And now some of them are on their way back, 174 00:10:40,760 --> 00:10:45,360 Speaker 2: this time against their will. So I wrote that about 175 00:10:45,400 --> 00:10:47,760 Speaker 2: ten months ago, last April, just as the first cases 176 00:10:47,760 --> 00:10:51,720 Speaker 2: were unsealed. Obviously a lot's happened since then. But before 177 00:10:51,760 --> 00:10:54,040 Speaker 2: I get into a recap of those first ten cases, 178 00:10:54,160 --> 00:11:04,640 Speaker 2: let's hear a brief word about some products and services. 179 00:11:09,160 --> 00:11:13,079 Speaker 2: So if Thomas Rousseau is number eleven on this list 180 00:11:13,080 --> 00:11:16,880 Speaker 2: of tiki torch defendants who were the first ten, the 181 00:11:16,880 --> 00:11:19,439 Speaker 2: grand jury that convened in February of last year handed 182 00:11:19,480 --> 00:11:25,119 Speaker 2: down the first five indictments, will Zachary Smith, William Billy Williams, 183 00:11:25,640 --> 00:11:30,640 Speaker 2: Tyler Dykes, Dallas, Medina, and William Fears. Will Smith of Nakona, 184 00:11:30,720 --> 00:11:34,640 Speaker 2: Texas was the first in custody. He was actually already 185 00:11:34,679 --> 00:11:37,480 Speaker 2: in custody here in Charlottesville when the first charges were filed. 186 00:11:38,360 --> 00:11:40,640 Speaker 2: He had been indicted on a separate felony charge back 187 00:11:40,679 --> 00:11:43,719 Speaker 2: in twenty eighteen for Pepper Spring the counter protesters that night, 188 00:11:44,080 --> 00:11:46,760 Speaker 2: but remained a fugitive until his arrest in January twenty 189 00:11:46,800 --> 00:11:49,959 Speaker 2: twenty three, so when the prosecutor brought the torch charges 190 00:11:50,000 --> 00:11:52,200 Speaker 2: to the grand jury in February, it was probably an 191 00:11:52,240 --> 00:11:55,840 Speaker 2: easy first choice. Will Smith pled guilty to the torch 192 00:11:55,960 --> 00:11:59,000 Speaker 2: charge in May in a sealed plea deal that dropped 193 00:11:59,040 --> 00:12:03,040 Speaker 2: the much more serious pepper spray felony, and was allowed 194 00:12:03,040 --> 00:12:07,920 Speaker 2: to return home without being sentenced. Billy Williams traveled here 195 00:12:07,960 --> 00:12:11,000 Speaker 2: with will Smith back in twenty seventeen. The pair were 196 00:12:11,000 --> 00:12:15,320 Speaker 2: acting as bodyguards for Robert Asmadore Ray, the Daily Stormer blogger, 197 00:12:15,360 --> 00:12:19,200 Speaker 2: who is actually also still a wanted fugitive on a 198 00:12:19,240 --> 00:12:22,160 Speaker 2: felony charge of pepper spraying those counter protesters that night. 199 00:12:23,720 --> 00:12:26,400 Speaker 2: When Billy Williams was extradited from Texas in April of 200 00:12:26,480 --> 00:12:32,640 Speaker 2: last year, he was denied bond after some apparent dishonesty 201 00:12:32,679 --> 00:12:36,240 Speaker 2: regarding his relationship with Robert Ray. Through his attorney, he 202 00:12:36,400 --> 00:12:39,000 Speaker 2: denied having had any contact with Ray while he was 203 00:12:39,000 --> 00:12:42,640 Speaker 2: a fugitive. He in fact claimed they barely knew each other, 204 00:12:42,679 --> 00:12:45,440 Speaker 2: having met only a couple of times. I can tell 205 00:12:45,480 --> 00:12:49,200 Speaker 2: you that's not that's not true. But after claiming that 206 00:12:49,200 --> 00:12:52,920 Speaker 2: they'd had no contact in the intervening years. The prosecutor 207 00:12:52,960 --> 00:12:56,120 Speaker 2: revealed in the bond hearing that law enforcement partners had 208 00:12:56,120 --> 00:12:59,720 Speaker 2: shared information with his office that they believe that not 209 00:12:59,800 --> 00:13:02,160 Speaker 2: only had they been contact, but that Ray had been 210 00:13:02,240 --> 00:13:05,559 Speaker 2: living with Williams, living on his property while he was 211 00:13:05,600 --> 00:13:09,360 Speaker 2: in hiding as a fugitive. Williams two pled guilty to 212 00:13:09,400 --> 00:13:12,600 Speaker 2: the burning object charge in July, receiving an active sentence 213 00:13:12,640 --> 00:13:16,240 Speaker 2: of six months but with time served and good behavior. 214 00:13:16,280 --> 00:13:18,959 Speaker 2: He was home barely two weeks after entering his plea, 215 00:13:19,559 --> 00:13:22,359 Speaker 2: but not before he missed the birth of his seventh 216 00:13:22,480 --> 00:13:25,960 Speaker 2: child with his common law wife. Tyler Diykes was arrested 217 00:13:25,960 --> 00:13:28,600 Speaker 2: on Saint Patrick's Day. He'd been out with other members 218 00:13:28,600 --> 00:13:31,320 Speaker 2: of the white supremacist group the Southern Sons Active Club, 219 00:13:31,640 --> 00:13:34,160 Speaker 2: trying to hang a racist banner from a highway overpass 220 00:13:34,160 --> 00:13:38,160 Speaker 2: in Savannah, Georgia, when he was unfortunately bitten by a dog. 221 00:13:38,760 --> 00:13:41,280 Speaker 2: I do not have information on what came of the dog. 222 00:13:41,320 --> 00:13:45,400 Speaker 2: I hope he's okay, concerned about infection, though, Tyler Diykes 223 00:13:45,400 --> 00:13:47,640 Speaker 2: went to the emergency room to have the wound looked at. 224 00:13:48,240 --> 00:13:51,040 Speaker 2: In Georgia, as in most states, emergency rooms contact the 225 00:13:51,040 --> 00:13:54,800 Speaker 2: police to report dog bite injuries. An officer was dispatched 226 00:13:54,840 --> 00:13:56,840 Speaker 2: to the hospital to take a report from Dikes about 227 00:13:56,880 --> 00:13:59,920 Speaker 2: the dog bite incident, which is a fairly routine situation, 228 00:14:01,679 --> 00:14:05,400 Speaker 2: but somewhere during their interaction in the hospital, the officer 229 00:14:05,480 --> 00:14:08,439 Speaker 2: ran Dike's name to the system and it came back 230 00:14:08,480 --> 00:14:12,120 Speaker 2: with a warrant. A panicked Dikes sent his hate group 231 00:14:12,120 --> 00:14:16,400 Speaker 2: group chat a quick text, I'm being arrested by Virginia 232 00:14:17,000 --> 00:14:20,440 Speaker 2: nuke my account. In video of the melee the base 233 00:14:20,440 --> 00:14:23,200 Speaker 2: of the statue on August eleven, twenty seventeen, Dikes can 234 00:14:23,200 --> 00:14:26,840 Speaker 2: be seen throwing punches even after everyone else had stopped, 235 00:14:27,760 --> 00:14:30,640 Speaker 2: and then celebrating the victory by marching around in a weird, 236 00:14:30,760 --> 00:14:33,240 Speaker 2: tight little circle with his right arm extended in a 237 00:14:33,280 --> 00:14:36,560 Speaker 2: Nazi salute. Dikes pled guilty to the torch charge in 238 00:14:36,640 --> 00:14:38,920 Speaker 2: May and received the same six month act of sentence 239 00:14:38,960 --> 00:14:42,280 Speaker 2: Williams had gotten with time served and good behavior. He 240 00:14:42,360 --> 00:14:45,040 Speaker 2: was released in July. I wonder if he expected to 241 00:14:45,080 --> 00:14:47,200 Speaker 2: see his elderly parents waiting for him in the parking 242 00:14:47,240 --> 00:14:49,760 Speaker 2: lot outside of the album ArHL Charltsville Regional Jail that day, 243 00:14:50,560 --> 00:14:53,520 Speaker 2: but he never made it that far. US marshals took 244 00:14:53,560 --> 00:14:56,880 Speaker 2: him into federal custody before he ever walked outside. He's 245 00:14:56,920 --> 00:14:59,440 Speaker 2: currently out on bond, awaiting trial on ten counts for 246 00:14:59,480 --> 00:15:03,520 Speaker 2: his participate patient in the January sixth insurrection. Dallas Medina 247 00:15:03,560 --> 00:15:06,400 Speaker 2: of Ohio turned himself in in April and was allowed 248 00:15:06,400 --> 00:15:09,360 Speaker 2: to return home on bond. He had been an active 249 00:15:09,400 --> 00:15:12,600 Speaker 2: member of an extremely online group of mass shooting enthusiasts 250 00:15:12,640 --> 00:15:16,160 Speaker 2: calling themselves the Bowl Patrol, so named after the bull 251 00:15:16,160 --> 00:15:19,960 Speaker 2: cut hair styles sported by their idol, Dylan Roof. After 252 00:15:20,000 --> 00:15:22,720 Speaker 2: a feud with Chris the Crying Nazi Catwell ended with 253 00:15:22,760 --> 00:15:25,680 Speaker 2: Catwell in federal prison, the group more or less fell 254 00:15:25,720 --> 00:15:29,240 Speaker 2: apart in twenty twenty. Medina hasn't appeared in court since 255 00:15:29,280 --> 00:15:32,400 Speaker 2: his bond hearing in April, and he doesn't yet have 256 00:15:32,400 --> 00:15:35,760 Speaker 2: a trial date. William Fiers was booked into the Albumoral 257 00:15:35,840 --> 00:15:38,720 Speaker 2: Charlesville Regional Jail in June after being transferred from the 258 00:15:38,720 --> 00:15:41,680 Speaker 2: Texas prison where he was serving a sentence for domestic violence. 259 00:15:42,680 --> 00:15:45,080 Speaker 2: Just two months after Unite the Right, William Fears beat 260 00:15:45,120 --> 00:15:49,520 Speaker 2: and choked his girlfriend. A few days later, he traveled 261 00:15:49,560 --> 00:15:51,800 Speaker 2: to Florida with his brother, Colton Fears and their friend 262 00:15:51,800 --> 00:15:54,640 Speaker 2: Tyler Tenbrink. To see Richard Spencer's speech at the University 263 00:15:54,640 --> 00:15:57,400 Speaker 2: of Florida. He knew when he left town for Gainesville 264 00:15:57,400 --> 00:16:00,600 Speaker 2: that week that his girlfriend had reported the assault, having 265 00:16:00,600 --> 00:16:03,720 Speaker 2: already been to prison for abducting and stabbing a different 266 00:16:03,760 --> 00:16:07,520 Speaker 2: ex girlfriend years earlier, He knew another conviction would put 267 00:16:07,560 --> 00:16:10,480 Speaker 2: him away for a while, and he wanted one last 268 00:16:10,520 --> 00:16:13,400 Speaker 2: shot at starting the race war before they got him. 269 00:16:14,320 --> 00:16:16,360 Speaker 2: In video from the Torch March, William Fears can be 270 00:16:16,440 --> 00:16:21,760 Speaker 2: seen swinging his torch at a counter protester, screaming Die Commie. 271 00:16:21,880 --> 00:16:24,120 Speaker 2: Fears remains in custody but does not yet have a 272 00:16:24,120 --> 00:16:27,640 Speaker 2: trial date. William's brother, Colton Fears, joined him at the 273 00:16:27,640 --> 00:16:31,560 Speaker 2: Albumarle Charlesville Regional Jail in September. I suspect the jail 274 00:16:31,600 --> 00:16:34,080 Speaker 2: probably kept them separated, but it still would have been 275 00:16:34,080 --> 00:16:37,000 Speaker 2: the closest the brothers had been in years. When the 276 00:16:37,080 --> 00:16:39,800 Speaker 2: brothers were in Gainesville in October of twenty seventeen, their 277 00:16:39,800 --> 00:16:42,480 Speaker 2: friend Tyler Tenbrink shot at a group of anti fascist 278 00:16:42,480 --> 00:16:46,920 Speaker 2: counter protesters after Richard Spencer's speech. Thankfully, no one was injured, 279 00:16:47,320 --> 00:16:51,520 Speaker 2: but Tenbrink was convicted of attempted first degree homicide. Colton 280 00:16:51,520 --> 00:16:53,400 Speaker 2: Fears was driving the car when the men left the 281 00:16:53,400 --> 00:16:55,480 Speaker 2: scene of the shooting, and spent five years in a 282 00:16:55,520 --> 00:16:58,320 Speaker 2: Florida prison for accessory after the fact to attempted first 283 00:16:58,320 --> 00:17:01,880 Speaker 2: degree homicide. Colton was released in twenty twenty two and 284 00:17:01,920 --> 00:17:05,000 Speaker 2: returned home to Texas, where he was then arrested in 285 00:17:05,040 --> 00:17:08,760 Speaker 2: August twenty twenty three on the burning object charge. After 286 00:17:08,800 --> 00:17:11,240 Speaker 2: pleading guilty in October, he was allowed to return home 287 00:17:11,400 --> 00:17:16,000 Speaker 2: prior to sentencing. Ryan Roy of Vermont turned himself in 288 00:17:16,000 --> 00:17:19,439 Speaker 2: in May. If you've been reading the voluminous leagues that 289 00:17:19,480 --> 00:17:23,400 Speaker 2: seemed to be constantly springing forth from Patriot Front's online comms, 290 00:17:23,720 --> 00:17:27,240 Speaker 2: you may know him better as Rex. It looks like 291 00:17:27,280 --> 00:17:29,280 Speaker 2: he's stayed quite busy in the years since Unite the 292 00:17:29,320 --> 00:17:32,040 Speaker 2: Right as a member of Patriot Front. He is currently 293 00:17:32,080 --> 00:17:34,040 Speaker 2: home on bond and does not yet have a trial date. 294 00:17:35,200 --> 00:17:38,440 Speaker 2: Jamie Troutman of West Virginia turned himself in in October 295 00:17:38,960 --> 00:17:42,280 Speaker 2: under the pseudonym Altright VA. Troutman was an active organizer 296 00:17:42,320 --> 00:17:44,560 Speaker 2: and planner of the Unit the Right rally. He was 297 00:17:44,600 --> 00:17:46,840 Speaker 2: present at many of the precursor events that took place 298 00:17:46,840 --> 00:17:49,800 Speaker 2: here in Charlesville during the Summer of Hate, including the 299 00:17:49,840 --> 00:17:53,040 Speaker 2: two other torch marches, smaller torchlit rallies that were held 300 00:17:53,080 --> 00:17:56,320 Speaker 2: in downtown Charlottesville in May and October of that year. 301 00:17:57,960 --> 00:18:01,000 Speaker 2: Like Dyke's photos show, Troutman was present at the Capitol 302 00:18:01,000 --> 00:18:03,879 Speaker 2: on January sixth, though in Troutman's case no charges have 303 00:18:03,920 --> 00:18:07,320 Speaker 2: been filed, he too is home on bond with no 304 00:18:07,400 --> 00:18:10,000 Speaker 2: trial date set. And before we get to the last 305 00:18:10,040 --> 00:18:12,600 Speaker 2: two of those first ten cases, let's hear from someone 306 00:18:12,600 --> 00:18:15,000 Speaker 2: who has also not been charged in connection with the 307 00:18:15,000 --> 00:18:19,000 Speaker 2: militant reactionary attempt to overthrow the US government these products 308 00:18:19,000 --> 00:18:33,520 Speaker 2: and services. The final two of these first ten torch 309 00:18:33,560 --> 00:18:37,520 Speaker 2: cases are the messy ones. So we've got these four 310 00:18:37,520 --> 00:18:40,200 Speaker 2: guilty please, and we've got four cases that are sort 311 00:18:40,240 --> 00:18:44,200 Speaker 2: of moving along slowly down the usual path. And then 312 00:18:44,200 --> 00:18:46,280 Speaker 2: we've got two cases where the defendants have had some 313 00:18:46,359 --> 00:18:50,680 Speaker 2: success bogging the cases down with motions. Jacob Dix of 314 00:18:50,720 --> 00:18:54,399 Speaker 2: Ohio was arrested in July. Dix is seen in photos 315 00:18:54,400 --> 00:18:56,360 Speaker 2: and video on the eleventh and twelfth with two other 316 00:18:56,359 --> 00:18:59,920 Speaker 2: Ohio men, his roommate Ryan Martin, who recently passed away, 317 00:19:00,320 --> 00:19:03,119 Speaker 2: and Daniel Borden, one of the men convicted of beating 318 00:19:03,119 --> 00:19:05,840 Speaker 2: a man nearly to death during the rally on August twelfth. 319 00:19:06,640 --> 00:19:09,280 Speaker 2: I'm sure we'll learn more about Dix as his case progresses, 320 00:19:10,000 --> 00:19:12,240 Speaker 2: but I have found him in photos with the Traditionalist 321 00:19:12,280 --> 00:19:14,639 Speaker 2: Worker Party at the Nazi rally in Pikeville earlier that 322 00:19:14,640 --> 00:19:18,280 Speaker 2: same summer. In his torch case, he has been granted 323 00:19:18,280 --> 00:19:21,920 Speaker 2: both a substitute judge and a special prosecutor based on 324 00:19:22,040 --> 00:19:26,720 Speaker 2: a sort of nebulous though very loudly argued conspiracy theory 325 00:19:26,760 --> 00:19:29,000 Speaker 2: involving the wife of a judge who is not even 326 00:19:29,040 --> 00:19:31,879 Speaker 2: presiding over his case and a prosecutor who has a 327 00:19:31,960 --> 00:19:36,760 Speaker 2: history of expressing anti racist political views in his personal life. 328 00:19:36,840 --> 00:19:39,399 Speaker 2: Dix is out on bond. With the recent rule in 329 00:19:39,440 --> 00:19:42,520 Speaker 2: granting him a special prosecutor, we may be seeing a 330 00:19:42,520 --> 00:19:46,520 Speaker 2: trial date get set in the near future. And finally, 331 00:19:46,920 --> 00:19:51,040 Speaker 2: Augustus Sole Invictus until Rousseau was arrested last week, the 332 00:19:51,040 --> 00:19:55,400 Speaker 2: biggest name in this batch was Augustus and Victus. Even 333 00:19:55,440 --> 00:19:57,480 Speaker 2: before his name was on the fliers as a headline 334 00:19:57,520 --> 00:20:00,520 Speaker 2: speaker at Unite the Right, Invictus was no stranger to thees. 335 00:20:01,200 --> 00:20:03,760 Speaker 2: In twenty sixteen, he ran for US Senate in Florida 336 00:20:03,800 --> 00:20:07,840 Speaker 2: as a libertarian. His campaign was marred by such controversies 337 00:20:07,880 --> 00:20:11,680 Speaker 2: as his own past statements on eugenics, a twenty thirteen 338 00:20:11,760 --> 00:20:15,600 Speaker 2: ritual sacrifice of a goat, his legal representation of white 339 00:20:15,600 --> 00:20:20,639 Speaker 2: supremacist militia leader Marcus Faiella, and numerous police reports from 340 00:20:20,720 --> 00:20:25,360 Speaker 2: both his wife and his teenage girlfriend alleging domestic violence. 341 00:20:26,800 --> 00:20:29,360 Speaker 2: In the years since, Invictis never did become a US 342 00:20:29,440 --> 00:20:33,280 Speaker 2: senator despite a second attempt, and never did get convicted 343 00:20:33,320 --> 00:20:39,640 Speaker 2: of domestic violence despite many, many more police reports. He's 344 00:20:39,680 --> 00:20:43,120 Speaker 2: also no longer a pagan. Asked recently about the goat 345 00:20:43,119 --> 00:20:46,200 Speaker 2: blood drinking ritual he performed in twenty thirteen, he quipped 346 00:20:46,200 --> 00:20:50,719 Speaker 2: that he drinks human blood now just a little transubstantiation 347 00:20:50,880 --> 00:20:55,399 Speaker 2: joke about his recent conversion to traditional Catholicism. Invictus was 348 00:20:55,480 --> 00:20:57,760 Speaker 2: arrested on the burning object charge in Florida in June 349 00:20:57,760 --> 00:21:00,199 Speaker 2: twenty twenty three and held for a month before being 350 00:21:00,280 --> 00:21:04,399 Speaker 2: extradited to Virginia and released on bond. Like Dix, he 351 00:21:04,440 --> 00:21:07,639 Speaker 2: has been granted a substitute judge. He too is seeking 352 00:21:07,680 --> 00:21:09,879 Speaker 2: a special prosecutor, but no ruling was made at his 353 00:21:09,960 --> 00:21:14,240 Speaker 2: last hearing. Currently, his case is docketed for trial next month. 354 00:21:14,480 --> 00:21:18,480 Speaker 2: But I'm willing to bet that gets postponed. So that's 355 00:21:18,840 --> 00:21:21,240 Speaker 2: more or less where we are now. Rousseau is the 356 00:21:21,240 --> 00:21:24,120 Speaker 2: eleventh man to be charged in these cases. We've got 357 00:21:24,119 --> 00:21:26,840 Speaker 2: four guilty please on the record, leaving him as one 358 00:21:26,880 --> 00:21:30,320 Speaker 2: of seven open cases. We can expect to see Rousseau 359 00:21:30,400 --> 00:21:33,119 Speaker 2: extradited from Texas to Virginia in the near future. I 360 00:21:33,119 --> 00:21:35,399 Speaker 2: would say maybe a week or two, although some of 361 00:21:35,440 --> 00:21:37,480 Speaker 2: them have been held for up to a month before 362 00:21:37,480 --> 00:21:40,160 Speaker 2: a deputy can get down there and bring them back. 363 00:21:40,520 --> 00:21:42,480 Speaker 2: Something I was really surprised to learn in all of 364 00:21:42,480 --> 00:21:46,960 Speaker 2: this is in most extraditions for state cases like this, 365 00:21:47,040 --> 00:21:49,720 Speaker 2: like these are not federal cases. These are local cases. 366 00:21:51,119 --> 00:21:55,160 Speaker 2: When someone gets extradited long distance, a deputy just flies 367 00:21:55,240 --> 00:21:58,760 Speaker 2: down there and then they fly back together on a 368 00:21:58,800 --> 00:22:02,840 Speaker 2: commercial airline. It's not like a con air situation. They're 369 00:22:02,960 --> 00:22:06,080 Speaker 2: just on an airplane together. So it really depends on 370 00:22:06,119 --> 00:22:07,879 Speaker 2: when a deputy can sort of get down there and 371 00:22:07,880 --> 00:22:09,880 Speaker 2: get them. So he'll be extradited sometime in the next 372 00:22:09,880 --> 00:22:12,240 Speaker 2: few weeks, and then once he's booked into the album 373 00:22:12,280 --> 00:22:14,720 Speaker 2: RL Charltsville Regional Jail, he'll get an appearance in court. 374 00:22:15,320 --> 00:22:18,160 Speaker 2: It's anybody's guest right now who he'll hire to represent him. 375 00:22:18,640 --> 00:22:21,479 Speaker 2: Former Proud Boy and current Patriot Front lawyer Jason Lee 376 00:22:21,520 --> 00:22:23,720 Speaker 2: van Dyke was thoughtful enough to reply to one of 377 00:22:23,720 --> 00:22:26,520 Speaker 2: my tweets about Rousseau's arrest to say that he will 378 00:22:26,560 --> 00:22:29,880 Speaker 2: not be taking this case. As much as he would 379 00:22:29,920 --> 00:22:32,240 Speaker 2: have loved to try this case, which he said that 380 00:22:32,240 --> 00:22:33,600 Speaker 2: he would do a very good job doing and he 381 00:22:33,600 --> 00:22:37,639 Speaker 2: could definitely do it, and unfortunately he just can't. He 382 00:22:37,760 --> 00:22:41,080 Speaker 2: cited the difficulty in finding local council to assist. He's 383 00:22:41,119 --> 00:22:43,040 Speaker 2: not admitted to the bar in Virginia, so who would 384 00:22:43,040 --> 00:22:45,200 Speaker 2: need someone who is to sort of sponsor him in 385 00:22:45,640 --> 00:22:47,920 Speaker 2: and be responsible for him in the case. So he said, 386 00:22:47,960 --> 00:22:50,159 Speaker 2: you know, he can't find local council, and also it 387 00:22:50,200 --> 00:22:52,919 Speaker 2: would just be two time consuming and too expensive to 388 00:22:52,960 --> 00:22:56,400 Speaker 2: try a case in Virginia as he's located in Texas. 389 00:22:57,240 --> 00:23:00,640 Speaker 2: So it won't be Jason Lee van Dyke writing about 390 00:23:00,640 --> 00:23:04,240 Speaker 2: these cases in my newsletter The Devil's Advocates. It's on Ghost, 391 00:23:04,359 --> 00:23:08,399 Speaker 2: which is like substack, but it's not substack. It's Ghost 392 00:23:08,640 --> 00:23:11,280 Speaker 2: and I'm looking forward to writing some updates very soon. 393 00:23:11,680 --> 00:23:14,400 Speaker 2: The finding out for this particular fucking around has been 394 00:23:14,440 --> 00:23:17,760 Speaker 2: a long time coming, and I can't help but wonder 395 00:23:18,119 --> 00:23:21,480 Speaker 2: if these cases had been brought sooner, Patriot Front might 396 00:23:21,480 --> 00:23:25,760 Speaker 2: not even exist. You know, I suspect once Rousseau has 397 00:23:25,800 --> 00:23:27,919 Speaker 2: gotten a lawyer, he will ask for a bond hearing. 398 00:23:28,400 --> 00:23:32,360 Speaker 2: That's probably what's next. It's impossible to know how much 399 00:23:32,359 --> 00:23:35,639 Speaker 2: information other law enforcement agencies are interested in sharing with 400 00:23:35,640 --> 00:23:39,480 Speaker 2: the local prosecutor, but that kind of information sharing did 401 00:23:39,480 --> 00:23:41,880 Speaker 2: play a critical role in some of the other cases. 402 00:23:42,800 --> 00:23:46,040 Speaker 2: In bond hearings for Billy Williams and Tyler Diykes, information 403 00:23:46,119 --> 00:23:49,879 Speaker 2: about the defendant's associations and activities collected by other local 404 00:23:49,920 --> 00:23:54,360 Speaker 2: police agencies and federal authorities was what kept them in custody. 405 00:23:55,160 --> 00:23:59,080 Speaker 2: In Diykes's case, several police and sheriff's departments in South 406 00:23:59,119 --> 00:24:02,359 Speaker 2: Carolina and George Arja shared information that he was a 407 00:24:02,359 --> 00:24:06,680 Speaker 2: suspect in some like swastika vandalism cases, some flying cases. 408 00:24:07,440 --> 00:24:10,359 Speaker 2: It's not clear if the FEDS shared information ahead of 409 00:24:10,400 --> 00:24:13,159 Speaker 2: time about the January sixth case, but it is it 410 00:24:13,240 --> 00:24:15,840 Speaker 2: is clear that the prosecutor's office was talking to other 411 00:24:15,920 --> 00:24:18,520 Speaker 2: law enforcement agencies who'd been keeping tabs on these guys. 412 00:24:18,960 --> 00:24:20,960 Speaker 2: And I think you would be a fool to think 413 00:24:20,960 --> 00:24:24,199 Speaker 2: the FEDS don't have some information about Rousseau that might 414 00:24:24,320 --> 00:24:27,760 Speaker 2: raise a judge's eyebrow. I guess we'll just have to 415 00:24:27,800 --> 00:24:31,720 Speaker 2: wait and see. 416 00:24:34,480 --> 00:24:36,840 Speaker 1: It Could Happen Here as a production of cool Zone Media. 417 00:24:37,040 --> 00:24:39,720 Speaker 1: For more podcasts from cool Zone Media, visit our website 418 00:24:39,760 --> 00:24:42,000 Speaker 1: cool zonemedia dot com, or check us out on the 419 00:24:42,040 --> 00:24:45,600 Speaker 1: iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to podcasts. 420 00:24:45,840 --> 00:24:47,959 Speaker 1: You can find sources for It could Happen Here, Updated 421 00:24:48,040 --> 00:24:52,080 Speaker 1: monthly at cool zonemedia dot com slash sources. Thanks for listening.