James Delisco Beeks says he couldn’t feel better.
After becoming just the second January 6th defendant acquitted of all charges, he has good reason.
“I woke up the day after trial, and it was just a whole new sense of purpose in life, and it’s hard to explain,” Beeks explains at the beginning of a Saturday afternoon phone call.
D.C. Judge Amit P. Mehta last Wednesday ruled that there was insufficient evidence to convict Beeks of knowingly working with OathKeepers to obstruct congressional proceedings on January 6th.
Beeks was originally indicted on numerous felony counts but was eventually presented with the option of a stipulated trial by the United States Attorney’s Office — an offer the former Broadway actor was eager to accept.
“I got the offer from the government because I wasn’t taking the plea deal, and I wanted the truth to come out,” Beeks explains, “So the way they offered it to me, I said, ‘Okay, let me hear what’s going on and what they have to say, because I know that I’m innocent and I’m not going to go down for this.’”
Beeks, who represented himself at trial, says prosecutors offered to charge him with Conspiracy to commit the infamous “18 USC 1512 Obstruction of an Official Proceeding” charge, as well as an additional charge “Conspiracy to Prevent and Officer from Discharging Official Duties” — stipulating as part of the DoJ agreement that the remaining seven charges on which he and co-defendant, Donovan Crowl, were originally indicted would be dropped.
Beeks believes the government made the offer, knowing the weakness of their case against him — one last shot for prosecutors to win another conviction.
But prior to January 6th, Beeks says he was living his dream job with the role of Judas Iscariot in the 50th Anniversary production of “Jesus Christ Superstar”.
“I started Broadway when I was in my twenties, and I was egotistical,” Beeks explains, saying he was “young and cocky” and didn’t have enough successes in life to appreciate the things he had.
“When I booked Jesus Christ Superstar, I was the first to be cast in the show, and I knew it. It was the right time. You know, kismets,” Beeks says with a laugh.
On December 9th of 2019, Beeks says the show opened and started touring to great reviews — but then the lockdowns happened, and the young actor was forced to sit safely at home while the “Covid drama” unfolded.
“I was looked back in retrospect and think, I’m glad — grateful for what I was given,” Beeks says.
While he watched the riots of summer 2020, Beeks was distressed by the lives lost to violence — one, in particular, being retired police officer David Dorn who was murdered in St. Louis, Missouri, on June 2, 2020.
In the midst of protests, centered on a question about the value of Black Lives, Beeks openly wondered whether Dorn’s life mattered.
“I respected the police, and I respected law enforcement,” Beeks says, “Seeing that and other images of people being persecuted for what they believe — their ideologies or their speech, I thought if I got a chance to help to be a peacekeeper in situations like that, I would hop at the chance.”
“So President Trump asked, or, you know, invited people to come up to DC, I thought it would be a good chance to do that, to be a peacekeeper,” Beeks says.
It was around that time that Beeks planned to attend the D.C. “Wild Protest” with Samuel Armes, a Florida Cryptocurrency entrepreneur who admittedly crafted large portions of the “1776 Returns” document, which was used as shaky evidence of conspiracy against Proud Boys during their eight-month trial for Seditious Conspiracy.
“I met (Armes) at a ‘Stop the Steal” rally in Orlando,” Beeks explains, “And my purpose at that rally was the same. I was there to be security, just in case things went south, you know, violently.”
Beeks says Armes approached him, complimented his singing of the national anthem, and the two men exchanged phone numbers
“We stayed in contact through texts and Snapchat and all that kinda stuff, and then it became like a flirtatious kind of thing,” Beeks explains, “And he was more into sending videos and stuff like that.”
Beeks says Armes twisted the nature of their relationship in his testimony to the January 6th Select Committee.
“It’s an issue,” Beeks explains while briefly hesitating, “We became close and I asked him, and he said he was gonna go to January 6th, and I think I put him on the hotel reservation, I’m not sure.”
Beeks says Armes explained to the J6 Committee his decision to back out on the trip at the last minute.
“I actually asked him about the Proud Boys and he kind of mentioned he had a friend in the Proud Boys, so I didn’t wanna go along,” Beeks says, “Because were in the news at that time with, you know, Antifa and those things. So, you know, it was just a bad look to be associated with anything like that.”
Although he expresses awareness of a certain reputation and no desire to be affiliated with Proud Boys at the time, Beeks says he “didn’t know anything about Oath Keepers.”
Not wanting to go to D.C. alone, Beeks says he made the decision to join the Oath Keepers.
“It wasn’t like I had time to get to know anybody or anything like that,” explains Beeks.
“I just did some research — clearly not enough,” Beeks says with a laugh, “Like I said, we were living our lives, and I wasn’t like actively on there every day. I just signed up to meet people, you know, some ex-police officers, ex-military. That sounds great. Right. It sounds like a great idea.”
“My life is like Forrest Gump,” adds Beeks.
Although Judge Mehta recognized Beeks’s innocence on January 6th, his co-defendant, Donovan Crowl, was convicted on all charges.
Beeks says it was social media statements and an association with Jessica Watkins that led to the conviction of Crowl.
“There’s some things that they use through conversations, through texts, and also things after (January 6), like a meme they sent out and other things like saying proudly that he took over the Capitol,” Beeks explains, “And in my case, there was none of that.”
Beeks says his own innocence was solidified through the testimony of Tina Myers, who he took pictures with and was asked about his purpose for being at the Capitol.
Beeks, at the time, stated his self-proclaimed intention — “to protect everyone from violence.”
Paired with video evidence of Beeks “missing the huddle,” where a plan was allegedly concocted among Oath Keepers, Myers’ testimony sealed the deal for an affirmative defense.
“Greg Hunter, the standby counsel, said, ‘If you know how he’s a football player and it’s like if I miss the huddle in a play, I’m screwed,’” Beeks explains with a laugh.
As for his feelings on the conviction of Crowl, Beeks says questions remain about the criminalization of political, “hyperbolic speech” and whether or not it’s protected by the First Amendment.
“Apparently, in these courts, it’s not,” says Beeks.
When it comes to public accusations that his acquittal was influenced by his race, Beeks says that’s the problem from both sides of the political divide.
“I’m an American,” Beeks explains, “The Judge is an American. White people are American, Hispanic people are American, and we’re all Americans. And I don’t see color as an incentive to win this thing.”
“However,” Beeks says, “Logic and truth will prevail.”
As for any insinuation that he received a sweetheart deal in exchange for previous or current cooperation with the federal government, Beeks says, “That’s patently false.”
When asked if he feels there was any federal involvement on January 6th, Beeks says he views it as a red herring or a false flag.
“What’s sad to me is that Americans are pitted against Americans and want to see these people (J6 Defendants) persecuted,” Beeks explains, “It’s the same thing that happened in Germany in the 1930s, and I hope people can see that — even the ones who are, um, rooting for this, this, this narrative.”
“I stand firmly against it,” adds Beeks.
Now exonerated, Beeks says he plans to move forward with his life and return to school for computer science. He plans to obtain a bachelor’s degree and improve his value in an increasingly difficult job market.
As one of two January 6th defendants to be acquitted of all charges associated with the day, Beeks offers some simple yet experienced advice to others who’ve been caught in the madness.
“I would hope that the people will see that there is hope in the midst of darkness, and it’s always darkest before dawn,” Beeks says hopefully, “The tide will turn, and the truth will prevail.”
“Everything that is hidden will be revealed.”
DC reporter Mel Hawley also interviewed James Beeks about his J6 case:
The post “Everything That Is Hidden Will Be Revealed.” — Recently Acquitted J6er James Beeks Sends a Message of Hope in Exclusive Interview with TGP appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.