'QAnon Shaman' In Plea Negotiations After Mental Health Diagnosis

Phoenix AZ

23 July, 2021

2:17 PM

Description

WASHINGTON, DC — Jacob Chansley, the reported 'QAnon Shaman' who is among hundreds facing charges in connection with the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, has started plea negotiations after prison psychologists said he is suffering from several mental illnesses. Chansley, also known as Jake Angeli, was widely photographed wearing a horned headdress, furs and face paint as he stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6. In an interview with Reuters, defense lawyer Albert Watkins said that officials at the federal Bureau of Prisons have diagnosed Chansley with transient schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depression and anxiety. The bureau's findings also suggest Chansley's mental condition deteriorated due to the stress of being held in solitary confinement at a jail in Alexandria, Virginia, Reuters reported. In May, U.S. District Judge Royce Lamberth ordered a "competency examination" of Chansley. The judge said the exam would help authorities determine whether Chansley understands the charges he faces and if he can assist in his own defense. RELATED: 'QAnon Shaman' Jacob Chansley Must Undergo Mental Evaluation Chansley is currently facing six federal charges including violent entry and disorderly conduct. He was arrested three days after the insurrection on the Capitol. According to the criminal complaint filed by the U.S. Attorney's office in Washington, D.C., Chansley voluntarily turned himself into law enforcement. Watkins did not say what Chansley was considering pleading guilty to, but defendants negotiating plea deals typically plead to a less serious charge to reduce their potential prison sentences.