A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION, Encouraging the humane and fair treatment of the January 6 defendants.

WHEREAS, some of the American citizens who were charged with crimes related to the January 6, 2021, incident at the United States Capitol are still being held in a Washington D.C. jail; and

WHEREAS, a number of these defendants requested to be transferred out of the Washington D.C. jail due to inhumane conditions; and

WHEREAS, they described the jail as having "medieval standards of living" and the jail "insists on tormenting its traumatized guests"; and

WHEREAS, they have alleged that they are being treated with cruel and unusual punishment; and

WHEREAS, in at least one instance, government prosecutors admitted to a federal judge that they lost track of a January 6 defendant's case, violating the defendant's rights under the Speedy Trial Act; and

WHEREAS, certain January 6 defendants have raised other concerns about their treatment, including being deprived of adequate food, medical care, visitation, and access to religious services and attorneys; and

WHEREAS, they have also stated that they have been subject to re-education propaganda, racially-biased information, harassment, and assault; and:

WHEREAS, they believe they were exercising their First Amendment rights on January 6, 2021, but have been treated like terrorists; and

WHEREAS, these defendants believe that those individuals who protested throughout the United States as a result of George Floyd's death were treated differently than they are being treated:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the House of Representatives of the Ninety-Eighth Legislature of the State of South Dakota, the Senate concurring therein, that the South Dakota Legislature supports the humane treatment of the January 6 defendants, a speedy resolution to the charges against them, and equal treatment for all Americans exercising their First Amendment rights.