He Should’ve Tried The Moonwalk Instead

A Michael Jackson impersonator who is accused of participating in the US Capitol riot has clashed with a judge after rejecting the court's authority. James Beeks was accused of "gobbledygook" by the judge after claiming he had "divine" authority.

Also an actor, Mr Beeks was arrested after FBI agents went to several of his performances of the musical Jesus Christ Superstar. He is among nearly 700 people charged over the 6 January riot.

Mr Beeks is charged with obstruction of Congress and unlawful entry of a restricted building. He has yet to enter a plea to the charges he faces. Prosecutors were not seeking pre-trial detention for him at Monday's hearing in Washington DC, but he was nearly remanded in custody after a courtroom outburst.

The defendant, of Orlando, Florida, argued that he had "divine" authority, and that he could not serve as his own lawyer in a trial. "I cannot represent myself because I am myself," he said.

After Mr Beeks claimed to be exempt from the US legal system, the judge told him: "That's all gobbledygook."

"A defendant who rejects the jurisdiction of the court, rejects being subject to the laws of the United States, rejects the rule of law is not typically released pre-trial because that person cannot be trusted to comply with the conditions of pre-trial release," Chief US District Judge Beryl Howell warned him.

Mr Beeks denied being an adherent of the so-called sovereign citizen movement, rejecting the label as an "insult".

The judge eventually allowed him to be released on condition that he wear a GPS tracking device, does not possess firearms, and avoids all contact with Oath Keepers, an anti-government militia of which he is alleged to be a member.

Mr Beeks was arrested in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, last week after the agents attended two shows of a travelling performance of Jesus Christ Superstar, in which he plays Judas.

Investigators say Mr Beers wore a jacket from the pop star's 1987 "Bad" world tour to the riot, and brought a homemade shield.



https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-59471153

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