Â鶹´«Ã½

World

    • Man who attacked police at the U.S. Capitol with poles gets 20 years, one of longest Jan. 6 sentences

    This image from video from the U.S. Justice Department contained in the sentencing memorandum, and annotated by the source, shows David Nicholas Dempsey stomping on police officers in the Lower West Terrace Tunnel at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, in Washington. (Justice Department via AP) This image from video from the U.S. Justice Department contained in the sentencing memorandum, and annotated by the source, shows David Nicholas Dempsey stomping on police officers in the Lower West Terrace Tunnel at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, in Washington. (Justice Department via AP)
    Share
    WASHINGTON -

    A California man with a history of political violence was sentenced on Friday to 20 years in prison for repeatedly attacking police with flagpoles and other makeshift weapons during the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol.

    David Nicholas Dempsey's sentence is among the longest among hundreds of Capitol riot prosecutions. Prosecutors described him as one of the most violent members of the mob of Donald Trump supporters that attacked the Capitol as lawmakers met to certify Joe Biden's 2020 presidential election victory.

    Dempsey, who is from Van Nuys, stomped on police officers' heads. He swung poles at officers defending a tunnel, struck an officer in the head with a metal crutch and attacked police with pepper spray and broken pieces of furniture, prosecutors said.

    He climbed atop other rioters, using them like "human scaffolding" to reach officers guarding a tunnel entrance. He injured at least two police officers, prosecutors said.

    "Your conduct on January 6th was exceptionally egregious," U.S. District Judge Royce Lamberth told Dempsey. "You did not get carried away in the moment."

    Dempsey pleaded guilty in January to two counts of assaulting police officers with a dangerous weapon.

    Only former Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio has received a longer sentence in the Jan. 6 attack. Tarrio was sentenced to 22 years for orchestrating a plot to stop the peaceful transfer of power from Trump to Joe Biden after the 2020 presidential election.

    Dempsey called his conduct "reprehensible" and apologized to the police officers whom he assaulted,

    "You were performing your duties, and I responded with hostility and violence," he said before learning his sentence.

    Justice Department prosecutors recommended a prison sentence of 21 years and 10 months for Dempsey, a former construction worker and fast-food restaurant employee. Dempsey's violence was so extreme that he attacked a fellow rioter who was trying to disarm him, prosecutors wrote.

    "David Dempsey is political violence personified," Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas Brasher told the judge.

    Defence attorney Amy Collins, who sought a sentence of six years and six months, described the government's sentencing recommendation as "ridiculous."

    "It makes him a statistic," she said. "It doesn't consider the person he is, how much he has grown."

    Dempsey was wearing a tactical vest, a helmet and an American flag gaiter covering his face when he attacked police at a tunnel leading to the Lower West Terrace doors. He shot pepper spray at Metropolitan Police Department Detective Phuson Nguyen just as another rioter yanked at the officer's gas mask, prosecutors wrote.

    "The searing spray burned Detective Nguyen's lungs, throat, eyes, and face and left him gasping for breath, fearing he might lose consciousness and be overwhelmed by the mob," they wrote.

    Dempsey then struck MPD Sgt. Jason Mastony in the head with a metal crutch, cracking the shield on his gas mask and cutting his head.

    "I collapsed and caught myself against the wall as my ears rang. I was able to stand again and hold the line for a few more minutes until another assault by rioters pushed the police line back away from the threshold of the tunnel," Mastony said in a statement submitted to the court.

    Dempsey has been jailed since his arrest in August 2021.

    His criminal record in California includes convictions for burglary, theft and assault. The assault conviction stemmed from an October 2019, gathering near the Santa Monica Pier, where Dempsey attacked people peacefully demonstrating against then-president Trump, prosecutors said.

    "The peaceful protest turned violent as Dempsey took a canister of bear spray from his pants and dispersed it at close range against several protesters," they wrote, noting that Dempsey was sentenced to 200 days of jail time.

    Dempsey engaged in at least three other acts of "vicious political violence" that didn't lead to criminal charges "for various reasons," according to prosecutors. They said Dempsey struck a counter-protester over the head with a skateboard at a June 2019 rally in Los Angeles, used the same skateboard to assault someone at an August 2020 protest in Tujunga, California, and attacked a protester with pepper spray and a metal bat during a August 2020 protest in Beverly Hills, California.

    More than 1,400 people have been charged with Jan. 6-related federal crimes. Over 900 of them have been convicted and sentenced, with roughly two-thirds receiving terms of imprisonment ranging from a few days to the 22 years that Tarrio received.

    CTVNews.ca Top Stories

    Police have arrested a Toronto woman in connection with three recent homicides and investigators say that they believe two of the victims may have been 'randomly targeted.'

    A northeastern Ontario jury has started deliberating in Canadian musician Jacob Hoggard's sexual assault trial, we can now tell you what they weren't allowed to hear.

    A teen charged with the murder of another teen on Prince Edward Island last year has pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of manslaughter.

    At least two people are dead and others are injured after a fire ripped through a century-old building in Old Montreal early Friday morning, sources told Noovo Info.

    Canada

    • Police have arrested a Toronto woman in connection with three recent homicides and investigators say that they believe two of the victims may have been 'randomly targeted.'

    • At least two people are dead and others are injured after a fire ripped through a century-old building in Old Montreal early Friday morning, sources told Noovo Info.

    • A northeastern Ontario jury has started deliberating in Canadian musician Jacob Hoggard's sexual assault trial, we can now tell you what they weren't allowed to hear.

    • A teen charged with the murder of another teen on Prince Edward Island last year has pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of manslaughter.

    • The owners of a North York condominium say they are facing a $70,000 special assessment to fix their building's parking garage. '$70,000 is a lot of money. It makes me very nervous and stressed out of nowhere for this huge debt to come in,' said Ligeng Guo.

    • The federal Fisheries Department says it is concerned about a "pattern" of violence and threats toward its enforcement officers after two tense incidents off southwestern Nova Scotia last month.

    World

    Politics

    Health

    • Staff at Saskatoon's Royal University Hospital are calling for systemic changes just two days after its emergency room was more than three times above its capacity.

    • An Ontario child has died after coming in contact with a rabid bat, a health official confirmed on Wednesday.

    Sci-Tech

    Entertainment

    Business

    Lifestyle

    • A five-seat sushi counter located inside another restaurant is the latest Vancouver eatery to receive a Michelin star.

    • What does New Westminster's tÉ™mÉ™sewÌ“txÊ· Aquatic and Community Centre have in common with a historic 68,000-seat stadium in Beijing, an NFL stadium and the aquatics venue for the Paris Olympics? They've all been named among the world's most beautiful sports venues for 2024.

    Sports

    Autos

    • A Pickering, Ont., student going to college to be a mechanic is shocked the engine in his two-year-old car will not be repaired under warranty after the dealership claimed he had been 'over-revving' the engine.

    • A group of classic car enthusiasts donated hundreds of blankets to nursing homes in Nova Scotia.

    Local Spotlight

    Chantal Kreviazuk is set to return to Winnipeg to mark a major milestone in her illustrious musical career.

    From the beaches of Cannes to the bustling streets of New York City, a new film by a trio of Manitoba directors has toured the international film festival circuit to much pomp and circumstance.

    A husband and wife have been on the road trip of a lifetime and have decided to stop in Saskatchewan for the winter.

    The grave of a previously unknown Canadian soldier has been identified as a man from Hayfield, Man. who fought in the First World War.

    A group of classic car enthusiasts donated hundreds of blankets to nursing homes in Nova Scotia.

    Moving into the second week of October, the eastern half of Canada can expect some brisker fall air to break down from the north

    What does New Westminster's təməsew̓txʷ Aquatic and Community Centre have in common with a historic 68,000-seat stadium in Beijing, an NFL stadium and the aquatics venue for the Paris Olympics? They've all been named among the world's most beautiful sports venues for 2024.

    The last living member of the legendary Vancouver Asahi baseball team, Kaye Kaminishi, died on Saturday, Sept. 28, surrounded by family. He was 102 years old.

    New data from Greater Vancouver and the Fraser Valley shows a surge in supply and drop in demand in the region's historically hot real estate market.

    • A New Westminster senior is out $20,000 worth of gold jewelry after being approached by a scammer outside her home.

    • Many British Columbians were shaken awake early Friday morning when an earthquake struck in the Strait of Georgia, about 18 kilometres southwest of Tsawwassen.

    • NDP Leader David Eby is vowing to raise British Columbia's speculation and vacancy tax on empty homes if re-elected premier this month.

    • Police have arrested a Toronto woman in connection with three recent homicides and investigators say that they believe two of the victims may have been 'randomly targeted.'

    • A 21-year-old man who was charged with attempted murder in the shooting of a Toronto police officer this week was out on bail at the time of the alleged offence, court documents obtained by Â鶹´«Ã½ Toronto show.

    • Police say they have arrested a man in Burlington, Ont., in connection with child luring charges.

    • Three Calgary businesses have been ordered to shut down after inspectors discovered evidence of uninspected meat.

    • The Banff town sign, a popular spot for tourists, may soon have a new home.

    • Martha Hart, the widow of Calgary wrestler Owen Hart, is speaking out after the release of Netflix's 'Mr. McMahon' documentary series, which she says inaccurately portrays her husband's death as an accident.

    • The owner of a Gatineau, Que. café says it's 'silly' that Quebec's language watchdog is telling the business to write its Instagram posts in French.

    • Gas prices in Ottawa are set to rise this weekend after a slight uptick overnight.

    • Raise your glass and make a toast to a new Distillery in eastern Ontario. Artist in Residence (AIR) Distillerie has launched in Hawkesbury. This is the second location for the company, who has an existing operation in Gatineau.

    • At least two people are dead and others are injured after a fire ripped through a century-old building in Old Montreal early Friday morning, sources told Noovo Info.

    • The owner of a Gatineau, Que. café says it's 'silly' that Quebec's language watchdog is telling the business to write its Instagram posts in French.

    • Montreal police say they are increasing their presence across the city ahead of the one-year anniversary of the Oct. 7 start of the Israel-Hamas war.

    • A man is dead after he became trapped in a trench on Friday morning.

    • Four people were injured after a serious two-vehicle crash north of St. Paul, Alta. on Thursday.

    • Alberta Premier Danielle Smith is threatening another legal challenge against Ottawa's environmental assessment law, a move federal Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault is dismissing as a political stunt.

    • A teen charged with the murder of another teen on Prince Edward Island last year has pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of manslaughter.

    • The federal Fisheries Department says it is concerned about a "pattern" of violence and threats toward its enforcement officers after two tense incidents off southwestern Nova Scotia last month.

    • Friday marked the grand opening of 22 new seniors' apartments built from the ground-up on Pitt Street in Sydney Mines, N.S.

    • Manitoba RCMP arrested a man after he allegedly pulled over two women on the highway pretending to be an RCMP officer.

    • The federal government says it's making progress on a pilot program for an alert system that would inform the public when an Indigenous woman or girl is missing.

    • Family members of those who died following interactions with Winnipeg police, advocates, and community members have written an open letter to Manitoba's premier and justice minister, alleging systemic racism within the ranks of the police service, while advocating for change.

    • A Saskatchewan man living in the United States has pleaded guilty to possessing child pornography after he unknowingly provided disturbing videos to an FBI agent he thought was a pedophile.

    • NDP Leader Carla Beck says she would cut $58 million in spending during her first year as premier should her party win the Saskatchewan election set for Oct. 28.

    • Saskatchewan Party Leader Scott Moe says if re-elected, his government would introduce a Saskatchewan Home Renovation Tax Credit aimed at making renovations more affordable.

    • Waterloo Regional Police have laid charges after a car crashed into the side of a Kitchener home at 3:30 a.m.

    • Melissa Duff-Shore, a Cambridge, Ont. woman who killed her daughter in 2020, has been ordered to a forensic hospital in St. Thomas.

    • The recent rabies-related death in Ontario has raised concerns about human exposure, but an assistant professor at the University of Guelph says we can learn a lot from the health of bat populations.

    • Saskatoon police arrested a homeless person at the scene of an encampment underneath the University Bridge on Friday morning.

    • A Saskatchewan man living in the United States has pleaded guilty to possessing child pornography after he unknowingly provided disturbing videos to an FBI agent he thought was a pedophile.

    • Indigenous leaders say two staff at a Saskatchewan courthouse were told to go home and take off the orange shirts they wore for the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.

    • A northeastern Ontario jury has started deliberating in Canadian musician Jacob Hoggard's sexual assault trial, we can now tell you what they weren't allowed to hear.

    • Two police officers in Greater Sudbury required medical attention for injuries they received arresting a man for the second time in just two days.

    • Police have arrested a Toronto woman in connection with three recent homicides and investigators say that they believe two of the victims may have been 'randomly targeted.'

    • Middlesex OPP have shuttered a road between Mount Brydges and Komoka today - Amiens Road is currently closed between Glendon Drive and Oriole Drive.

    • World renowned environmentalist David Suzuki will be weighing in on whether nuclear waste should be buried under farmers’ fields near Teeswater.

    • Members of the Wingham Golf and Curling Club have overwhelmingly decided enough is enough.

    • Defence lawyer Mary Cremer sought to persuade the jury during closing submissions on Friday that it would have been impossible for her client to have murdered Katherine Janeiro in 1994.

    • The Ministry of Labour is investigating a workplace incident that claimed the lives of two people in Georgian Bluffs, south of Owen Sound.

    • A local MP voiced concerns about repeat offenders in the House of Commons on Thursday, pointing to a recent incident in Barrie that resulted in a police officer suffering serious injuries.

    • A London, Ont. man, who pleaded guilty earlier this year in a harassment case, has been sentenced to two months in jail for criminal harassment of a Windsor, Ont. family.

    • The Windsor Police Service (WPS) are looking for a witness to a collision between a pedestrian and vehicle in September.

    • Windsor fire has named its new fire chief, effective on Jan. 1, 2025.

    • NDP Leader David Eby is vowing to raise British Columbia's speculation and vacancy tax on empty homes if re-elected premier this month.

    • Politicians are continuing to promote their promises across British Columbia as the provincial election campaign nears its midway point.

    • One person is dead after a floatplane carrying three people crashed Wednesday evening in a remote inlet on British Columbia's central coast.

    • Three young suspects have been arrested in connection with a swarming attack on a teenager in B.C.'s Okanagan last week – and authorities have asked the public to stop circulating disturbing videos of the incident.

    • A father in Kelowna is furious after his 13-year-old daughter was brutally beaten on Gyro Beach. He is calling for criminal charges in the devastating attack, which was caught on video by multiple bystanders.

    • The officer who shot and killed a forcible confinement suspect in Kamloops two years ago was justified in doing so, according to the Independent Investigations Office of B.C.

    • To enhance inclusivity at Lethbridge Polytechnic, the institution has launched a new accessibility micro-credential.

    • WestJet has changed its operations at the Lethbridge Airport, and it means there's now only a single daily flight from Lethbridge to Calgary, down from three flights a day, as offered previously.

    • Archie's Exotic Pet Rescue has been open about six years and, like many other animal rescues, it has seen a surge in surrenders.

    • Two teens, ages 14 and 19, have been charged with arson in connection with a July 14 fire in Cat Lake First Nation that destroyed $500,000 in construction materials.

    • A northeastern Ontario jury has started deliberating in Canadian musician Jacob Hoggard's sexual assault trial, we can now tell you what they weren't allowed to hear.

    • A suspect who accused Thunder Bay police of being responsible for his throat injury actually hurt himself when he swallowed a large amount of drugs.

    N.L.

    Shopping Trends

    The Shopping Trends team is independent of the journalists at Â鶹´«Ã½. We may earn a commission when you use our links to shop. Read about us.

    Stay Connected
    Follow Â鶹´«Ã½