The lawyer of Bruce Wayne Ivey—one of the several hundred people charged with breaching the capitol on January 6 last year—told a judge his client did what he did because he "genuinely believed" that there was a "global secret state that was plotting to kill off the majority of the human population."
His attorney acknowledged Ivey was prone to "conspiratorial thinking" and used it in his defense. Prosecutors are lowering the penalties for defendants who plead guilty.
Because he pled guilty to his charge—one count of parading, demonstrating or picketing in the Capitol—Ivey was sentenced three years of probation, which includes 60 days of house arrest and a $500 fine. He was sentenced by US District Judge Christopher Cooper.
Judge Cooper also ordered Ivey to agree to regular drug testing and mental-health treatment.
People weren't very sympathetic about the criminal's "defense."
One person asked:
"Can we say conspiracy theories are creating unstable behaviors in gullible people?"
Capitol Rioter Prone to 'Conspiratorial Thinking' Gets 3 Years of Probation. Can we say conspiracy theories are creating unstable behaviors in gullible people.https://www.businessinsider.com/capitol-rioter-prone-to-conspiratorial-thinking-gets-3-years-probation-2022-3\u00a0\u2026— LadyBug (@LadyBug) 1648825903
If he truly believed that; he should be in a mental institution!!!\nCapitol Rioter Prone to 'Conspiratorial Thinking' Gets 3 Years Probationhttps://www.businessinsider.com/capitol-rioter-prone-to-conspiratorial-thinking-gets-3-years-probation-2022-3\u00a0\u2026— hillgal (@hillgal) 1648822183
It\u2019s unbelievable how crazy theseCultists are!https://www.businessinsider.com/capitol-rioter-prone-to-conspiratorial-thinking-gets-3-years-probation-2022-3?amp\u00a0\u2026— Ron Myers (@Ron Myers) 1648807086
Some are upset with the sentencing, feeling as though the judge let Ivey off too easy.
One person tweeted using the hashtag #slaponthewrist.
"Another Capital rioter has been sentenced to probation...... #Slaponthewrist"
"Which confirms what I already knew: we have a broken justice system!"
Another Capital rioter has been sentenced to probation......\n#Slaponthewrist\nWhich confirms what I already knew: we have a broken justice system!\n\nCapitol Rioter Prone to 'Conspiratorial Thinking' Gets 3 Years of Probationhttps://www.businessinsider.com/capitol-rioter-prone-to-conspiratorial-thinking-gets-3-years-probation-2022-3\u00a0\u2026— Patricia Lutz(Patti) USA\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8\ud83d\uddfd\ud83e\udd85\ud83c\udf37\ud83c\udf3c\ud83c\udf38\ud83c\udf3a\ud83c\udff5\ufe0f\ud83c\udf3b (@Patricia Lutz(Patti) USA\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8\ud83d\uddfd\ud83e\udd85\ud83c\udf37\ud83c\udf3c\ud83c\udf38\ud83c\udf3a\ud83c\udff5\ufe0f\ud83c\udf3b) 1648834712
Capitol Rioter Prone to 'Conspiratorial Thinking' Gets 3 Years Probation\nProbation for breaching the capitol and attempting to hang the VP & politicians on live tv? They\u2019re definitely going to try again.https://www.businessinsider.com/capitol-rioter-prone-to-conspiratorial-thinking-gets-3-years-probation-2022-3\u00a0\u2026— Faralyn Padilla (@Faralyn Padilla) 1648796870
My God these this man was fixing to kill people and he gets probation please Capitol Rioter Prone to 'Conspiratorial Thinking' Gets 3 Years of Probationhttps://www.businessinsider.com/capitol-rioter-prone-to-conspiratorial-thinking-gets-3-years-probation-2022-3\u00a0\u2026— Debra Aaron (@Debra Aaron) 1648835508
And another, also upset tweeted:
"[W]e are probably the only country in the world where a person trying to overthrow a legally chosen federal government gets a slap on the wrist."
"In any other place an attempted coup d'état would've resulted at least in a prison sentence."
we are probably the only country in the world where a person trying to overthrow a legally chosen federal government gets a slap on the wrist. In any other place an attempted coup d'\u00e9tat would've resulted at least in a prison sentence— \ud835\udd6e\ud835\udd86\ud835\udd92\ud835\udd8a\ud835\udd97\ud835\udd94\ud835\udd93 \ud835\udd78.\ud835\udd73\ud835\udd86\ud835\udd99\ud835\udd99\ud835\udd8a\ud835\udd97 \ud83c\udf08 (@\ud835\udd6e\ud835\udd86\ud835\udd92\ud835\udd8a\ud835\udd97\ud835\udd94\ud835\udd93 \ud835\udd78.\ud835\udd73\ud835\udd86\ud835\udd99\ud835\udd99\ud835\udd8a\ud835\udd97 \ud83c\udf08) 1648827271
Video footage from the Capitol building showed Ivey, one of the first people to break into the building, holding a stolen police shield and smashing a window with it.
He then entered the building through the broken window. Ivey said he spent months recovering from being crushed in a door frame by the mob that surged inside the building.
Ivey joins a group of 800 being prosecuted in connection with the attack on the capitol.
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung presenting U.S. President Donald Trump with honors and gifts at the Gyeongju National Museum in Gyeongju on October 29, 2025.Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images
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