WASHINGTON (KNWA/KFTA) — Federal Judge Christopher R. Cooper has denied Richard Barnett’s request for “unencumbered access” to a discovery database leading up to his trial on charges stemming from the January 6, 2021 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol.

Barnett, 61, of Gravette, filed a motion on March 18 requesting the access, as well as extensions of two deadlines for filing pretrial motions. On March 30, the court responded to the filing, granting a deadline extension until April 18 for any suppression and other pretrial motions. Any other motions must be filed by May 31.

On March 28, the government submitted a filing to the court outlining its opposition to the level of access the defense requested. The document noted that “all Capitol Siege defense counsel have been able to request a license to view voluminous amounts of video footage.” The prosecution added that they have already waived the requirement that the defendant be supervised while viewing “highly sensitive video” shared to that database.

To grant the defendant ‘unencumbered access’ to the databases in question would pose a significant danger to the many individuals and entities whose sensitive data appears within them. Moreover, defense counsel has never consulted with government counsel regarding a need to provide defendant acess to specific covered materials. Thus, the defense has provided no basis for the Court to order the access requested.

Matthew M. Graves, United States Attorney

The government did not oppose the defense team’s extension requests.

A pre-trial conference is scheduled for August 30 at 10 a.m. via videoconference, and Barnett’s trial is set for September 6, 2022, at 9 a.m.

Barnett is charged with: Obstruction of an Official Proceeding; Aiding and Abetting; Entering and Remaining in a Restricted Building or Grounds with a Deadly or Dangerous Weapon; Disorderly and Disruptive Conduct in a Restricted Building or Grounds with a Deadly or Dangerous Weapon; Entering and Remaining in Certain Rooms in the Capitol Building; Disorderly Conduct in a Capitol Building; Parading, Demonstrating, or Picketing in a Capitol Building; Theft of Government Property.

He has pleaded not guilty to all charges.