Capitol Riot: Trial Starts For Man Who Propped Feet On Pelosi's Desk

CBS San Francisco

January 11, 2023

An Arkansas man who propped his feet on a desk in then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's office during the riot at the U.S. Capitol planned the trip for weeks and came prepared for violence, a prosecutor said Tuesday as his trial got underway.

Richard "Bigo" Barnett had a stun gun tucked into his pants when he stormed the Capitol, invaded Pelosi's office and posed for a photo that became one of the attack's more well-known images, prosecutors said. He also took a piece of her mail and left behind a note that said, "Nancy, Bigo was here," prosecutors said. Barnett punctuated the message with a sexist expletive.

"The defendant violated that space," said prosecutor Alison Prout during opening statements. "He came prepared for violence."

CBS Local Digital Media personalizes the global reach of CBS-owned and operated television and radio stations with a local perspective.