Thursday: Al Watkins on the Jan. 6 riot and the ‘QAnon Shaman’

This interview will be on “St. Louis on the Air” at noon Wednesday. This story will be updated after the show. You can listen live.

The riot that saw an angry mob breach the U.S. Capitol last Jan. 6 lasted only a few hours. But the months that have followed have kept lawyers very, very busy. More than 725 people have faced criminal charges for their conduct that day. Cable news channels and judges alike have spent hours hashing over their actions.

In that time, few attorneys have garnered a higher profile than Al Watkins. The Clayton-based lawyer was famous locally before Jan. 6 for his publicity-loving tactics (and occasional subterfuge). By defending the infamous “QAnon Shaman,” Arizona-based Jacob Chansley, Watkins found an international audience.

On Thursday’s St. Louis on the Air, the sesquipedalian barrister will discuss the sentence given his (now former) client, his beliefs about President Trump’s role in the riot and what he learned during his months in the national media spotlight. He’ll also discuss Chansley’s appeal, which rests on claims that Watkins provided “ineffective counsel.”

Have a question or comment for Al Watkins? Tweet us (@STLonAir), send an email to talk@stlpr.org or share your thoughts via our St. Louis on the Air Facebook group, and help inform our coverage.

Image via Flickr/Blink O’Fanaye

“St. Louis on the Air” brings you the stories of St. Louis and the people who live, work and create in our region. The show is hosted by Sarah Fenske and produced by Alex Heuer, Emily Woodbury, Evie Hemphill, Lara Hamdan and Kayla Drake. Jane Mather-Glass is our production assistant. The audio engineer is Aaron Doerr.

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