Ryan Samsel

As a Trump supporter, he decided to go to the January 6^th rally. 

At the rally, Ryan is accused of facing off against police officers over barriers at the Peace Circle on Jan. 6.  He is accused of taking part in a key moment of the insurrection — lifting a bike-rack barricade with other rioters to push against outnumbered officers on the Capitol’s first line of defense.  A barricade lift orchestrated by suspected FBI agent, Ray Epps.  The assault injured a police officer, Caroline Edwards, who fell backward, struck her head, and suffered a concussion.  The DOJ maintains that paved the way for thousands of rioters to storm the Capitol grounds.  As the riot continued, Ryan allegedly grabbed at another officer’s shield, and threw a pole and a two-by-four plank at police.

The FBI surrounded Ryan’s home on January 30 and arrested him.  He has been in solitary confinement, suffered stabbings and beatings, and been transferred eight times since.  Ryan isn’t his own best friend as he has had angry outbursts with correctional officers.  The Correctional Officers respond with violence.  As a result, Ryan has been moved through at least eight detention facilities.  He has needed medical care for the injuries he has suffered at the hands of the officers.

An earlier defense filing said Ryan suffered a concussion and other injuries during an assault while in custody in the District of Columbia in March 2021. He suffered serious medical injuries which aggravated a preexisting medical condition, according to his lawyer, Elisabeth K. H. Pasqualini.   He did not receive medical care. Ryan said he has blood clots, gynecomastia and other problems but the Judge denied his request for pretrial release but she did order a medical evaluation within 14 days of May 17, 2022 which he later denied.  Ryan maintains that he did not deny it, but a prison officer did.

While he was at the Federal Detention Center in Philadelphia, the prosecution noted in a June 2022 filing, FDC personnel scanned an outgoing letter from Ryan that said: “all these poltions [sic] in office need to go, A woodchiper [sic] sounds good” and “I’ll tell people get your wepon’s [sic] Ready Kiss your Kidd’s [sic] good-bye and let’s F* go!”

In August of 2022, Ryan’s attorneys filed a complaint, “We submit that Mr. Samsel’s constitutional rights are in jeopardy, not only because of lack of access to his own counsel, but also the lack of access to his well-being, in constant 24/7 lockdown since his move from [United States Penitentiary] Lewisburg, and Defendant Samsel has been placed in an untenable situation,” attorneys Stanley Woodward and Juli Haller wrote.

At one point, Ryan was beaten so badly by a corrections officer that he lost sight in his right eye, lost feeling on one side of his face, and even had a seizure following the beating.

At a hearing to request medical treatment, Ryan burst out and said to the Judge, “I know it’s this government torture tactic because they want me to cooperate,” he said. “I’m not a terrorist. They’re the terrorists. This is wrong!”Cobb began to speak to the defendant, but he spoke over her, “It’s not fair, ma’am!”The judge then offered to disconnect the public line so people couldn’t hear him, but Ryan wanted people to hear. He began objecting, but his lawyers tried to quiet him.  “Ryan, let us do our job,” said lawyer Stanley Woodward.

Ryan’s treatment received coverage in the Gateway Pundit on August 17^th, 2023.   The above picture is his jail cell in Philadelphia, and the yellow bucket is his urinal.  Tom Fitton retweeted this on x and many commented that this is “horrific,” politically motivated prisoner abuse in America.”  Ryan maintains this is his cell, the light is on all the time, he only has a thin blue mattress, no sheets, no blankets, no clothing.  He was in this cell for five months straight with no books, magazines, letters or photos allowed.  Ryan also claims he has been stabbed by correctional officers.The Federal Bureau of Prisons maintains none of this is true.

Ryan was interviewed by Gateway Pundit in August of 2023 and claimed that officers beat a friend of his, Samir, for providing him food in prison.  He also said that his father died last year while he was in prison, and he didn’t learn of it for weeks.  He asked for more than prayers, Ryan asks for advocacy for his trial, he has not yet had discovery and is suffering at the hands of inhumane correctional officers.

Ryan has opted for a bench trial before U.S. District Judge Jia Cobb, who rejected his bid for pretrial release.  The Judge’s Oct. 2, 2023 ruling acknowledged Samsel “has endured an incredibly long period of pretrial detention, which is concerning to the court.”But Cobbs also noted factors that include “the gravity of the charges” in the complex case and “the strength of the evidence underlying the detention.”And the judge cited Ryan’s “history of convictions for violent conduct,” as well as an outstanding warrant from May 2019 for assault in Riverside, Burlington County.

She ordered Ryanmoved to a District of Columbia facility prior to the trial.  Ryan is charged with 10 offenses, including civil disorder, committing an act of violence in a Capitol building or grounds; and obstruction of an official proceeding.”  Ryan faces additional charges tied to his alleged effort to take the riot shield and to throwing the plank at police, as well as a separate accusation of civil disorder.

The DOJ is attempting to lump Ryan’s trial in with other violet offenders with the hopes of maximizing his sentence.