A Tennessee resident previously apprehended for participating in the Jan. 6, 2021, U.S. Capitol riot has been convicted of plotting to assassinate federal agents involved in his investigation. On Wednesday, 35-year-old Edward Kelley was declared guilty in Knoxville of charges including conspiracy to murder federal employees, solicitation to commit a crime of violence, and influencing a federal official by threat, as announced by the U.S. attorney’s office.
Hailing from Maryville, Kelley was among the many rioters charged with unlawfully breaching the U.S. Capitol. While he awaited his trial, Kelley crafted a plan to eliminate law enforcement officers, targeting specifically FBI agents, as stated by the prosecution. He is now facing a potential life sentence, with his sentencing scheduled for May.
According to the prosecution, Kelley created and circulated a “kill list” that included names of FBI agents and other individuals involved in his case. This list, along with videos depicting FBI personnel, was shared with an accomplice as part of Kelley’s plotted “mission.” The list, which contained 37 names, was eventually handed over to a Tennessee police department by a witness.
Evidence provided during the trial included testimony from a cooperating defendant who had already admitted guilt in the conspiracy. This individual testified that he and Kelley had planned to attack the FBI’s Knoxville office using car bombs and drones equipped with incendiary devices. Their plans also included assassinating FBI employees at their homes and public locations such as movie theaters.
Kelley’s intentions were further highlighted by a recorded statement in which he said, “every hit has to hurt.”
This conviction arises amidst ongoing delays in the trials of other U.S. Capitol riot defendants, who are invoking former President Donald Trump’s election and his promise to pardon some Jan. 6 convicts. Defense attorneys have requested federal judges in Washington, D.C., to defer these cases until 2025, anticipating Trump’s presidential inauguration. These requests are posing challenges for the Justice Department as it aims to resolve these numerous active cases prior to the upcoming administration shift.
