Iced Earth’s Jon Schaffer Claims He Received Death Threats, Was Assaulted With Feces + Urine While in Jail
Iced Earth guitarist Jon Schaffer, who recently pleaded guilty for his involvement in the Jan. 6 Capitol Riot, was apparently assaulted with human feces while behind bars. Schaffer’s lawyer recently went into detail about the alleged incident, claiming Schaffer also received death threats while locked up.
Schaffer became one of the faces of the attempted insurrection after a photo of him inside the Capitol Building began making the rounds. Schaffer turned himself in to authorities on Jan. 17 and ultimately spent 89 days in jail before being released to await sentencing.
The guitarist and Oathkeeper member pleaded guilty to obstruction of an official proceeding of Congress and Trespassing on restricted grounds of the Capitol while armed with a deadly or dangerous weapon. Though Schaffer could spend up to 30 years in prison, CNN reports that prosecutors and Schaffer’s defense team have agreed to recommend between 3.5 and 4.5 years of prison time. The sentence will ultimately be decided by Judge Amit Mehta.
“My client, who is presumed innocent, has just gone through two months of hell where other people were throwing feces at him and urine at him and threatening his life in a horrible, horrible situation,” Schaffer’s attorney Marc J. Victor told a federal judge in March during Schaffer’s detention hearing in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, according to the Indianapolis Star.
Schaffer was kept in ‘Administrative Segregation’ at Indiana’s Marion County Jail from January until early March due to his high profile status. He was later removed from the cell block after Schaffer claimed to be “in fear for his personal safety.”
According to an emergency grievance from Schaffer, three inmates were making death threats against him. Schaffer was transported to a Washington D.C. in mid-March.
Records show that the first inmate that Schaffer complained about had multiple violent encounters with jail staff and other inmates, allegedly assaulting one inmate so severely he was taken to hospital. Another inmate Schaffer complained about punched a deputy in the face just days before Schaffer reported the death threats.
“He’s gone through two months. I think this got his attention, Judge,” Victor said immediately after describing the fecal matter attack. “He's aware this is a serious case.”
“That’s obviously unacceptable, flatly,” Judge Zia M. Faruqui told Victor. “I share your feelings of anger that this is not how our criminal justice system is to work. And, Mr. Schaffer, I'm sorry. I'm sure it's — it's very little solace, but I do apologize,” the judge added.
Jon Schaffer’s sentencing date has not been made public as of this posting. Last month, Anna Morgan-Lloyd became the first defendant to be sentenced for her role in the Jan. 6 insurrection, receiving three years of probation, 120 hours of community service and a $500 fine.