By MartÃn Bilbao
The Olympian
A 27-year-old Seattle man accused of spraying three people with bear spray and threatening two journalists while armed with an assault weapon pleaded guilty to six counts related to his actions during the Jan. 6 state Capitol Campus protest.
Damon Huseman appeared in chains at Thurston County Superior Court Monday morning for a change of plea and sentencing hearing. State Patrol arrested him in January after he took part in the protest that breached the grounds of the Governor’s Mansion.
He pleaded guilty to three counts of third-degree assault, two counts of harassment and one count of criminal trespass after spending about two months in Thurston County jail.
Superior Court Judge Sharonda Amamilo sentenced Huseman to six months confinement for the three assault charges and 90 days each for the remaining three charges.
Given the crimes and his offender score, Huseman could have been sentenced anywhere between four and 12 months for the assault charges. Amamilo explained her reasoning for the sentence during the hearing.
“From this court’s perspective, the low end doesn’t really capture a full understanding of what your victims have endured,” Amamilo said. “And I do believe the high end would not recognize the law-abiding life you lived before now.”
Amamilo previously set Huseman’s bail at $50,000 during his preliminary appearance in January. At the time, he pleaded not guilty to two counts of second-degree assault and one count of felony harassment.
Though he pleaded guilty to all charges on Monday, Huseman said in a written statement to the court that he felt he acted in self-defense for the first five counts and only accepted a plea deal to avoid the risk associated with a trial. He did, however, admit to trespassing on the Governor’s Mansion grounds.
The court also signed five anti-harassment or no-contact orders to protect the people Huseman affected that day. The five orders will remain in effect for two years, Amamilo said.
A probable cause statement described law enforcement’s investigation into Huseman’s actions on Jan. 6.
According to the statement, two journalists said Huseman sprayed them with bear spray in separate instances after they refused his demands to leave the area near the intersection of 11th Avenue and Capitol Way South.
Later that day, Huseman reportedly spotted another journalist and asked her if she was with the media. When she confirmed, she told investigators Huseman told her to leave and claimed he had already sprayed two other journalists.
She said Huseman then lunged at her as her phone recorded part of the interaction and he threatened to shoot and kill her and other members of the media.
In addition to spraying two journalists, Huseman also pleaded guilty to spraying a person who was jogging with his dog that same day.
All the while, Huseman was armed with an assault rifle, the Olympian previously reported. He is now barred from possessing a firearm.
