Jan. 6 detainee denied release for father's funeral

FPI / November 19, 2021

Jonathan Mellis, a Jan. 6 detainee at what many are calling the "American Gulag", has been incarcerated for more than 270 days without a bond hearing.

At one point, Mellis was reportedly held for 35 consecutive days in super-max solitary isolation without a disciplinary reason given.

Mellis also was denied release to attend his father's funeral. His father was a Vietnam and Korean war veteran with two Purple Hearts, a Silver and Bronze star.

"It is important to emphasize that the accused have languished for months in prison before their trials even have begun," American Greatness reporter Julie Kelly noted. "Judges are keeping defendants behind bars largely based on clips selectively produced by the government from a trove of video footage under protective seal and unavailable to defense lawyers and the public — and for the thoughtcrime of doubting the legitimacy of the 2020 presidential election."

A Telegram post noted of Mellis:

"Jon is a 35-year-old Virginian with a dad who taught him all about foreign markets, geopolitics, and the importance of civic engagement. Jon's adventurous spirit has taken him backcountry camping through South Dakota's Badlands, through Wyoming's craggy Tetons, and to the Capitol steps of Washington, D.C. that fateful January 6th.

"He came with a camera and a cowboy hat, intending only to show peaceful support for his country with nation-loving patriots. In great twisted irony, it was Democracy he hoped was protected that day.

"Now labeled as a domestic threat by the leaders of the same country he loves, he has a story to tell about the truth of that day, and wants the American people to know it. Despite government's every attempt to thwart it, the truth will be revealed.

"Please consider praying for Jonathan, supporting him, and then praying some more."

In a June email to Kelly, Mellis wrote:

"We are charged with every possible offense and held in the DC jail on solitary confinement and treated inhumanely. For example, a correctional officer from a different pod came to C2B screaming at us late at night on 6/1/21 because we had just sang ‘God Bless America’ from behind our locked doors like we do every night. Being as we are on lockdown 22 hours a day it’s nice to keep morale up through patriotism. When [name omitted by American Greatness], my next door neighbor, informed the officer that we were just singing ‘God Bless America’ the officer responded by yelling, ‘Fuck America!’

"After the officer left the pod for several minutes he came back in through the back door with another guard, walked upstairs, and opened [name omitted]’s door to go inside with him. I believe 2 other guards came up the other stairs to stand near [his] door as well, although I could not see them. I live right next door so I listened through the vent to the officer threaten [him], ‘Shut the fuck up or I will beat your ass!’ and, ‘Fuck you!’

["He] sounded like he was explaining himself and pointing out how obviously inappropriate the officer’s behavior was. And acknowledging that the officer’s camera was clearly turned off.

"I am concerned for the safety of myself and my fellow Capitol rioters here in the DC jail. We are locked down all day and threatened with violence regularly. We all know that getting our hands tied together and being beaten is something the DC jail officers have already done to Capitol rioters in this pod.

"Solitary Confinement and beatings. That is our reality. When will the inhumane treatment end? I just want to let everyone know the reality of how we are treated in this place. Left wing rioters are not even held in jail. Much less subjected to the harsh and inhumane treatment my fellow Capitol rioters and I have survived under so far this year."

Meanwhile, “Capitol Punishment”, a new documentary produced by Chris Burgard and Hollywood star and conservative Nick Searcy details the brutal tactics used against Americans by their own government on Jan. 6. It premiers on Thanksgiving Day.

The Western Journal notes in the pre-sale sign-up page for the documentary: "Everything that we are being told is a lie and Americans are being persecuted to support that lie. January 6 was years in the making and the threat to the survival of America as we know it has never been greater."

Free Press International