by Alex Lloyd Gross
Ryan Samsel, 39, of Bristol Borough PA. was found guilty this week of causing serious injury to a US Capitol police officer. He faced 12 charges and was convicted of eight of them by US District Justice Jia Cobb. The bench trial was held in Washington DC.
Samsel , who was mentioned by name during the January 6th Committee, pushed over barricades, knocked over US Capitol Police Officer Caroline Edwards. She testified that she suffered a serious brain injury. Samsel was one of the first people to trespass onto the US Capitol grounds. He was acquitted of Entering and Remaining In a Restricted Building/Grounds With A Dangerous Weapon, and Engaging In Physical Violence Inn A Restricted Building or Grounds With A Dangerous Weapon,.
He was convicted of several violent felonies, including Assault On Police With a Dangerous Weapon, Assault, Resisti8ng or Impeding Police and Obstruction of An Official Proceeding.. He will be sentenced on Jun 13, 2024 by the same judge. Samsel was locked up pending his trial. Justice Cobb ordered him to stay behind bars until his sentencing. The time served behind bars from his arrest in early 2021 until his trial will be credited to him against his sentence.
US Justice Dept. Photo Ryan Samsel on the grounds of the US Capitol
Samsel, while in prison got into several fights that seriously injured him. He has a long criminal history in Lower Bucks County, for assaulting females, especially his old girlfriend . He attacked, hit, pushed a hot pizza in her face and held her head under water during a fight. . He still has an assault warrant from Riverside NJ and was on parole at the time of January 6, 2021.
Samsel, in DC had several co-defendants, . James Tate Grant, of North Carolina; Paul Russell Johnson, of Virginia; Stephen Randolph, of Kentucky; and Jason Blythe, of Texas –They were all convicted of felonies and acquitted of the same charges that Samsel was acquitted.
They too all face a sentencing date of June 13 2023 before Justice Cobb. You can read the original story here.