The widow of a Washington, D.C., police officer who died by suicide within the days after January 6, 2021, requested a choose on Thursday for a stiff sentence in opposition to a rioter who harassed her husband amid the mob on the U.S. Capitol.
Erin Smith, whose husband Jeff Smith suffered a traumatic mind harm and a fracture whereas repelling the rioters, mentioned Dana Bell, 66, contributed to her husband’s assault.
“Due to Dana Bell, (my husband) did not get the prospect to maintain serving as a police officer,” Smith mentioned. “At 35, as an alternative of changing into a mom, I grew to become a widow.”
The dramatic testimony got here as a federal choose sentenced Bell to 17 months in jail for her function within the U.S. Capitol siege. Bell pleaded responsible to assaulting and resisting police. Bell, a Texas girl who had no prior felony historical past, was accused of grabbing at a police baton and accosting an officer as they tried to clear the mob from close to the Home Speaker’s Foyer whereas members of Congress tried to flee.
A Justice Division prosecutor mentioned the footage recovered from Jeff Smith’s physique digicam captured photos of Bell confronting Jeff Smith. The prosecutor mentioned Bell could be heard telling Jeff Smith “Get an actual job. … Nobody helps you.” Within the footage, a few of which was proven throughout Bell’s sentencing listening to Thursday, she was seen bodily fighting Jeff Smith as police tried to clear away the gang.
Erin Smith instructed the choose, “My husband died defending democracy itself.”
Washington, D.C., officers formally decided Jeff Smith’s loss of life by suicide was a line-of-duty loss of life linked to the accidents he suffered whereas stopping the rioters.
OLIVER CONTRERAS/AFP by way of Getty Photos
As Erin Smith concluded her remarks in courtroom, Bell mouthed the phrases “I am sorry” twice towards Smith.
Bell tearfully apologized in her request for leniency in the course of the listening to.”It was my fault. It was my selection,” Bell mentioned.
She additionally apologized to the “authorities, the taxpayers and the regulation enforcement officers.” Turning to Smith, Bell apologized aloud to her.
In accordance with the Justice Division, whereas amid the Capitol mob, Bell “picked up and hurled a stanchion throughout the ground.” Bell additionally “made her manner into the world close to the Speaker’s Foyer, the place a rioter had simply been shot. For greater than a minute, (she) ignored repeatedly ignored police pleas to go away the world so emergency medical crew may entry the wounded rioter. As an alternative, she swore and pointed at and gave the center finger to the officers there,” the Justice Division mentioned.
Prosecutors argued Bell continued lingering, ignoring police’s directions, and as an alternative giving them instructions, like “Do not f***in’ contact me!”
Bell is the newest of greater than 600 defendants from the U.S. Capitol assault who’ve been sentenced to incarceration. Roughly 1,500 folks have been charged for roles within the Capitol assault. Extra arrests are anticipated earlier than the statute of limitations is reached on January 5, 2026.
Division of Justice
Erin Smith grew to become a public advocate for line-of-duty loss of life advantages for regulation enforcement officers who died by suicide after the January 6 assault. A number of different officers who responded to the Capitol in the course of the riot additionally died by suicide within the weeks after.
