‘QAnon shaman,’ billed in Capitol riot, modifications jails due to food

The Arizona person regarded as the “QAnon shaman,” who is struggling with criminal charges for his involvement in the Capitol riot very last thirty day period, was moved to a jail in Virginia on Thursday to accommodate his request for an organic and natural diet plan.

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Jacob Chansley is pictured inside of the Senate Chamber on Jan. 6, 2021 in Washington, D.C.

Jacob Chansley, 33, also identified as Jake Angeli, was transferred from the Washington, D.C., jail to the Alexandria Detention Heart right after a federal decide purchased authorities to fulfill Chansley’s nutritional necessity, officials claimed.

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At a hearing on Wednesday, legal professionals for Chansley stated he experienced not eaten in extra than a 7 days since of a deficiency of organic and natural food stuff. The lawyers argued that Chansley required the food stuff for health care good reasons and due to the fact it is a tenet of his religious beliefs in shamanism.

D.C. Corrections officers mentioned Chansley’s claims lacked “religious benefit,” but U.S. District Court docket Choose Royce Lamberth ruled that Chansley was entitled to the organic food stuff on religious grounds. The judge, an appointee of President Ronald Reagan, claimed the governing administration was not entitled to issue the legitimacy of a prisoner’s religious beliefs as extensive as they are sincerely held.

“Binding Supreme Court precedent forecloses governmental tries to impeach religious claimants’ sincerity by introducing evidence that other followers of the similar sect would understand their religious obligations otherwise,” Lamberth wrote.

In a abide by-up get on Thursday, the choose claimed the D.C. jail was “unable to comply” with his directive, so Chansley was moved to the Virginia jail. “The Sheriff there has encouraged that the Alexandria Detention Heart is eager and ready to accommodate defendant’s nutritional requests,” Lamberth wrote.

A spokesperson for Alexandria Sheriff Dana Lawhorne verified that Chansley arrived there Thursday afternoon soon after the U.S. Marshals Services inquired about the foods difficulty.

“The Marshals requested if our facility could comply with the court docket order relating to this inmate’s diet plan,” mentioned Amy Bertsch, the spokesperson. “We consulted with Aramark, our foods service contractor, and Aramark mentioned they could meet the court’s needs.”

One particular puzzling component of the food dispute: Aramark is also the meals contractor for the D.C. jail. A jail formal reportedly advised the court docket on Wednesday that the only religious foods permitted under the district’s contract ended up halal and kosher.

Chansley grew to become an iconic figure during the storming of the Capitol by showing up shirtless and sporting experience paint, horns on his head and an animal pores and skin draped around his shoulders. He also sat in the presiding chair of the Senate for a time throughout the takeover — even as a U.S. Capitol Police officer begged him to depart.

The QAnon follower now faces felony charges of interfering with police all through civil disorder and obstruction of Congress, as nicely as various misdemeanor counts. He was arrested in Arizona on Jan. 9 and has been in custody considering the fact that.