Many of the rioters who entered the U.S. Capitol in January admit they were wrong to do so, even though Donald Trump claims that he spread lies about the attack.
Some people blame Trump for misleading them and warn against trusting him. Others claim they are victims of the cancel culture.
More than 70 rioters have been sentenced. The cases were closed after the people charged died. No one has been found not guilty.
They and their lawyers have said things in court.
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Why did I enter the building? I don't know what to say. I'm not sure why I didn't recognize what was happening and take alternative action, I've gone over it a thousand times. There were some factors that influenced me that day. Everyone is going to the Capitol and we were told to be peaceful.
The entire experience was very strange. I trusted the President and that was a mistake.
Leonard Gruppo wrote a letter to the judge sentencing him. A retired Special Forces soldier was sentenced to house arrest.
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"I have realized that those who were acting on behalf of the President lied to us, as well as those who were lying to us."
The false narrative about a stolen election and how it was our duty to stand up to tyranny was perpetuated by them. I didn't realize that they were the ones who were desperate to hold on to power at all costs, even if it meant creating chaos.
Robert Palmer wrote a letter. Palmer attacked police officers. He was sentenced to more than five years in prison.
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The President himself made false claims that the election system had been corrupted and that the integrity of the election should be questioned. Mr. Croy believed what he read on the internet and heard from the President.
Kira Anne West wrote in a court filing for Glenn Wes Lee Croy, from Colorado Springs, Colorado, who was sentenced to three months' home detention.
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I've attended several of the Pres. Trump's events were free of incident. I intended to support, not cause any trouble. I am very sorry for the events that transpired on that day and I will never forget it.
A handwritten letter was written by Dona Sue Bissey. She was sentenced to 14 days in jail.
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The only plan I had was to go to the White House and listen to the speech. He told us to walk to the capitol after he spoke and he asked us to do it together. I left his speech early because I was cold. I saw on the news that people were at the capitol building. I decided to walk to the capitol after travelling a long way to attend the rally.
In a letter to the court,Valerie Elaine Ehrke, of Arbuckle, California. Ehrke was given three years of supervision. Trump never went to the Capitol.
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This country has a long history of the public punishing people who are perceived to have done wrong. A lot of our population will cancel Mr. Hodgkins because of 15 minutes of bad judgment, casting stones in his directions, and never fully realizing their own indiscretions and hypocrisy.
The attorney wrote in the court filing for Paul Allard Hodgkins that he was carrying a Trump campaign flag. Hodgkins was sentenced to eight months in prison.
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Not everything I did on January 6th was bad, even though I feel badly about entering the Capitol. Some actions I took were good. I came to protest the election results. I wanted my voice to be heard. My only other weapon was my cell phone.
America is currently in an 'Information War' according to my belief. This so-called 'war' that I spoke of, using my first amendment rights, is a war that is not fought with weapons but with words, ideas, constructs and opinions.
In a letter to the court,Jenna Ryan, of Frisco, Texas. Ryan was sentenced to 60 days in jail for posting online that he had a great job and would not be going to jail. She told NBC News that she was being scapegoated like the Jews in Germany.
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My conservative creed is the same. The system of governance, a constitutional republic, and the processes in place for deciding who sits in the Oval Office behind the Resolute desk are all applicable to all candidates. The peaceful transfer of power and the method used to achieve it are worthy of protection. My message to any American who is against the current administration is that we must continue our work within the confines of the system and condemn the actions on January 6th as atrocious.
In a handwritten letter, Deborah Thompson, of Seattle. Thompson was sentenced to nearly four years in prison for attacking a police officer with a baton.
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The Associated Press writer in College Park contributed to the report.
