Has Ray Epps been arrested? Ray Epps claims impending charges over the events of Jan. 6 could debunk the Fox News conspiracy theory as he files a defamation lawsuit against the network.
Who is Ray Epps?
Ray Epps, a former United States Marine and wedding host from Queen Creek, Arizona, has become infamous for his alleged role in the events that led to the riot at the Capitol in Washington DC on January 6, 2021.
At first, Epps was relatively unknown, but his alleged involvement thrust him into the spotlight, particularly in the right-wing media, where he was portrayed as the instigator of the attack on the Capitol. However, despite being caught on video urging people to enter the Capitol complex on January 6, he has not faced charges or arrests in connection with those events.
Before the January 6 event, Epps was recognized as a pro-Trump supporter who strongly believed that the 2020 United States presidential election was stolen from Donald Trump. In the days leading up to the riots, Epps appeared at multiple rallies and gatherings in DC, including a Stop the Steal rally on January 5, where he was reportedly seen encouraging participants to march on the Capitol the next day.
On January 6, Epps was again captured on video standing with a group of individuals outside the Capitol, seemingly instructing them to push back against police barricades in an attempt to enter the building. Despite his alleged involvement in the events of that day, Epps managed to avoid any arrests or charges related to the riots at the Capitol.
Despite this, Epps’ name and alleged actions have become the subject of numerous conspiracy theories and speculation within right-wing media circles. In recent months, Epps himself has made statements suggesting he expects to face criminal charges for his role in the Capitol mob.
Has Ray Epps been arrested?
Ray Epps has not been arrested in connection with the attack on the US Capitol on January 6, 2021. On January 5, 2021, he was caught on video encouraging individuals to enter the Capitol complex, but was not charged. Despite speculation suggesting that he cooperated with the government, there is no evidence to support such claims.
This situation could be unfavorable for both Epps and the questionable theory advanced by former Fox News anchor Tucker Carlson that led to Epps’ lawsuit. The prosecutor, a Donald Trump supporter from Arizona, said in his lawsuit that the Justice Department notified him in May that it intended to file criminal charges against him, two and a half years after the attack on the Capitol.
In a rather surprising twist, Epps alleges that he is facing charges because of Fox News and Carlson’s involvement. Fox News fired Carlson in April, just days after reaching an estimated $800 million settlement in a defamation lawsuit against Dominion Voting Systems.
More recently, in July 2023, Epps decided to file a defamation lawsuit against Fox News, claiming that the network falsely portrayed him as an undercover FBI agent who helped instigate the January 6 attacks. He further claims that this misrepresentation led to harassment and threats made against him as a result of Fox News coverage.
So far, the Justice Department has not commented on the possibility of indicting Epps in connection with the Jan. 6 attack. Undoubtedly, facing charges from the government would significantly undermine the idea that Epps was secretly working for them.
However, even if the pending charges debunk the conspiracy theory, they do not by themselves prove defamation. Epps still needs to prove that Fox, at the time it aired the allegedly defamatory statements about him, did so with knowledge of their falsity or reckless disregard for the truth.
Just like former President Trump, who Epps endorsed with his vote, Fox News also finds itself embroiled in a busy and volatile legal situation over the ramifications of misinformation about the 2020 election.
While the Jan. 6 allegations may not guarantee victory in Epps’ defamation lawsuit, they could certainly further undermine the already questionable conspiracy theory at the heart of his legal action.
What was Ray Epps charged with?
Ray Epps, a former U.S. Marine and avid Trump supporter, gained attention when he was filmed encouraging individuals to enter the Capitol complex on January 6, 2021, but then remained unchanged. He vehemently denied being a federal agent or participating in the riots at the Capitol.
Despite speculation linking him to government involvement, there is no corroborating evidence to support such claims. However, in July 2023, Epps filed legal action against Fox News, filing a defamation suit against the network. He accused them of falsely portraying him as an undercover FBI agent who played a role in instigating the January 6 attacks. As a result of this portrayal, Epps claimed he was subjected to harassment and threats, attributing them to Fox News coverage.
While the Justice Department has yet to comment on potential criminal charges related to the Jan. 6 attack, Epps said he was questioned by FBI agents that fateful day and assured he was not a target of the investigation. Furthermore, he asserted that he was not warned about the possibility of criminal charges.
Michael Teter, Epps’ attorney, emphasized the importance of the lawsuit to hold Fox News accountable for their false and defamatory reporting. Teter said that the media cannot recklessly spread lies about individuals without suffering the consequences.
In a separate defamation lawsuit against Fox News and Tucker Carlson, Epps revealed that he faces criminal charges brought by the Justice Department as of May 2023, nearly three years after the incident.
He claimed that damaging and defamatory statements by Fox News and Tucker Carlson regarding his involvement in the riot had seriously affected his life, leading to harassment and threats. Moreover, he accused Fox News of looking for a scapegoat to blame, other than Donald Trump or the Republican Party.
The lawsuit does not list the exact charges Epps faces or the damages he is seeking. However, it is one of several legal actions filed against Fox News related to their coverage of the 2020 election and the unrest at the Capitol.
Lawsuit
In July 2023, Mr. Epps took a significant step, filing a defamation lawsuit against Fox News and its former host, Tucker Carlson. The lawsuit was filed in Delaware Superior Court, coincidentally the same court where Fox already faced a hefty $787.5 million judgment in a separate defamation case brought by Dominion Voting Systems.
In response, Fox News tried to move the lawsuit to Federal District Court in Wilmington. Mr. Epps seeks unspecified damages through this legal action. The decision comes after Mr. Epps demanded back in March that Fox News and Carlson retract their stories and apologize to him on air.
According to his attorney, Michael Teter, “Ray is taking the next steps to assert his rights by seeking accountability for Fox’s lies that caused so much harm to him and his wife, Robyn,” as reported by The New York Times.
The lawsuit specifically holds Fox News liable for spreading misinformation about the 2020 election fraud, portraying Mr. Epps as a devoted viewer who wholeheartedly believed the network’s commentary.
“When Fox, through its personalities and on-air guests, assured its audience that the 2020 election was rigged, Epps was among the attentive listeners,” the complaint states. “He genuinely believed Fox. After that, when Epps heard the call for Trump supporters to express their views on January 6th in Washington DC, he took it to heart.”
Furthermore, the lawsuit alleges that Fox News and Carlson deliberately portrayed Mr. Epps as a “villain” in their stories, with Carlson particularly fixating on the former Marine.
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Source: HIS Education