Jesse James Rumson, the January 6 rioter dubbed “Sedition Panda” for wearing a bear costume headpiece during the attack on the U.S. Capitol, has been convicted for his actions that day.
Rumson, 38, of Florida, was found guilty of multiple charges, including civil disorder, assaulting, resisting, or impeding officers, trespassing, engaging in physical violence in a restricted building, and parading in a Capitol building.
The conviction followed a bench trial presided over by U.S. District Judge Carl Nichols, a Trump appointee.
Judge Nichols dismissed Rumson’s defense as “absurd” and “patently incompatible with the objective evidence and testimony.”
Rumson had claimed ignorance about being in a restricted area, a defense that NBC News reported the court found unconvincing.
Prosecutors portrayed Rumson as an educated individual who knowingly participated in the riot. “Despite this knowledge, Rumson chose to attack law enforcement on that day,” they argued.
Rumson’s attorney, Anthony Sabatini, criticized the trial’s fairness, claiming, “There are no fair trials in Washington for Jan. 6 protesters. We have not seen one yet,” in a statement to the New York Times.
On January 6, Rumson spent approximately two hours on Capitol grounds, navigating past “AREA CLOSED” signs along with other Trump supporters protesting Congress’ certification of President Joe Biden’s 2020 electoral win.
He was seen approaching, entering, and subsequently being escorted from the Capitol, during which he assaulted a police officer.
According to a probable cause affidavit, Rumson earned the hashtag “#SeditionPanda” for intermittently wearing a panda costume headpiece.
He also wore camouflage pants, a black T-shirt, a gray hoodie, and carried rosary beads and a flagpole.
Rumson entered the Capitol building at 2:40 p.m., shortly after the initial breach. The affidavit details his entry through the Parliamentary Door on the Upper West Terrace and his involvement in the chaos inside the building.
He discarded the panda headpiece during his time inside and was later seen with his hands behind his back, appearing to be handcuffed.
Other rioters helped him remove the handcuffs, after which he continued to participate in the riot.
By 4:20 p.m., Rumson was seen assaulting a police officer by grabbing the officer’s face shield, forcing the officer’s head and neck back. He was last seen leaving the area as the sun set.
Rumson’s sentencing is scheduled for September 5.
