SAN DIEGO — The trial for two men accused of being involved in starting a riot at a pro-Trump rally back in 2021 continued Wednesday.
Brian Lightfoot, 27, and Jeremy White, 41, both face a charge of conspiracy to commit a riot. White also faces an assault charge.
Prosecutors said they are self-described anti-fascists who went to that rally on Jan. 9, 2021, three days after the Capitol insurrection, with the specific intent of violence.
Up first on the witness stand Wednesday was San Diego Police Detective Emily Clark. She testified to viewing several videos of the event on social media. She said she also reviewed hundreds of police body-worn camera clips.
"There were 400-plus body-worn camera videos in this case. Up until that point, the most body-worn camera videos I had had to deal with for a case was maybe 12, maybe 20," said Clark.
Clark also walked the jury through how she went about identifying the 11 defendants in this case. She said with the huge crowds that day, it was hard. She said she zeroed in on certain objects that kept showing up in videos over and over, including a yellow baseball bat used to smash a Skechers store window.
Clark testified she was able to identify the owner of that bat, and then was able to identify some of his alleged co-conspirators who she said are all linked to an anti-fascist group.
Prosecutors said that includes White and Lightfoot.
Defense attorneys told the jury during opening statements Tuesday, White and Lightfoot showed up to that Pro-Trump march to counter-protest and that they were exercising their free speech rights.
They argued the two groups clashed, but there was no conspiracy. They also told the jury to pay close attention to the so-called victims in this case, whether they really are victims or not and approach the case with skepticism.
The trial is expected to continue through the end of April.
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