You really didn't think I was going to give all 10,000 reasons did you? But this trial of Mr. Fitzsimons showed how not to support the Blue Line. The so called officer was so caught up in his glorification of himself. Mr. Fitzsimans attorney just ripped him apart.
Sadly the government won't release the actual video of the trial. Only 15 people were allowed in the courtroom including GP. So this is there recollection.
Attorney Taylor-Smith did not buy into Sergeant Gonell’s ridiculous self praising “heroic cop” rhetoric. If the trial was a boxing match, a calculating Taylor-Smith knocked the unprepared Gonell around the ring. She waited patiently as he became agitated and confontational, then counterpunched HARD with video evidence and lines of aggressive questioning that caught him in lie after lie.
This trial proves that Gonell likely lied to the Congress during the Unselect Committee Hearing, lied to the FBI when giving statements and to the media during interviews in which he has painted himself as a hero. This can all be substantiated by the video played out in court during the Fitzsimons trial that directly contradicted many statements made by Gonell on the record and under oath by Congress. Most of this footage is unfortunately not yet available the public, and under seal by the government.
Natasha Taylor-Smith cross examined Gonell after he testified that her client Kyle Fitzsimons was the man that caused his alleged “shoulder injury”. Gonell claims he is permanently maimed and the injury forced him into retirement from the Capitol Police Force (with more than likely a full pension and disability benefits). Gonell testified he remembers his seconds long encounter with Fitzsimons on January 6th, whom he recalled violently pulling his shield down- therefore causing his shoulder injury.
Fitzsimons watched as Gonell’s testimony was effectively discredited and debunked by the talented Taylor-Smith, who meticulously proved with slowed down video evidence that Fitzsimons never touched Gonell’s shield. In fact, she proved with video that multiple police officers and other protesters were seen leaning on his shield in the mayhem during the time Gonell claims his shoulder was injured
Despite seeing the video evidence replayed several times in slow motion showing that Fitzsimons never touched his shield, Gonell continued to insist “It was Fitzsimons!” After it finally dawned on Gonell that the video showed was contradicting his testimony, he then changed his tale. A new story emerged that Fitzsimons must have injured him by touching a tiny shoulder strap on his arm (as this was seen in the video he was shown).
This was quickly countered by Taylor Smith in a compelling defense. She told the court that when Fitzsimons was touching Gonell’s strap he was not pulling him into the crowd as Gonell claimed. She said Fitzsimons was blinded by the tear gas and having trouble breathing- gas more than likely coming from a large canister a police officer was seen spraying liberally into the crowd in the video. Fitzsimons was falling with people on top of him and reaching out for anything to hold onto to prevent himself from being crushed.
This is why he had Gonell’s shoulder strap for a few seconds. In the video this is all substantiated. It is obvious Fitzsimmons could not see what he was touching as his head was down in the video and he seemed to be struggling to stay upright. Gonell and Fitzsimons are tangled up in cops fighting protesters. Anyone or anything in the melee could have caused Gonell’s “injury”, yet the DOJ chose this man to persecute.
“Officer Gonell wouldn’t even acknowledge the fact that at the time that Mr. Fitzsimons was in contact with him he was down on his knees, and that he had several protesters over top of him. At that time Mr. Fitzsimons was in peril of being crushed to death. He was blinded by the spray, on the ground surrounded by punching and kicking. He was unable to protect his head from batons that were falling on him.
The whole article can be found here.