“That push is the thing that sticks out,” A.J. advised Brian, again at the kitchen desk in Wisconsin.
“Can I explain, though?” Brian requested, and shortly he was once taking part in extra movies of Jan. 6 on his pc, attempting yet one more time to put his movements in context so A.J. may perceive. He confirmed a video of cops capturing munitions into the surging crowd. He confirmed a video of an older girl in an American flag sweatshirt time and again strolling up the stairs towards the police barricade at 2:27 p.m. after which getting pepper-sprayed and driven go into reverse the stairs through an officer. “Everybody’s pissed off at this point,” Brian mentioned. “It’s a melee from here on.”
He began taking part in every other video, from 2:34 p.m., which confirmed Brian in the seconds prior to he driven Karlsen’s rise up defend. During the trial, Karlsen testified that he was once in the strategy of backing out from the crowd, and he was once backing up towards a stairway with particles underfoot. He glanced down for a break up 2nd to take a look at his stability, and that’s when Brian took merit and driven him. But now Brian advised A.J. an altogether other tale: that he heard Karlsen threaten to shoot him, and that after Karlsen became his head Brian believed he was once on the lookout for his gun. The push was once a spontaneous act of self-defense, Brian mentioned.
“It’s going to be high-pitched, but listen for him saying, ‘Or I’ll shoot,’” Brian mentioned.
He performed the video and seemed over at A.J., however A.J. shook his head. All he may listen was once a muffled echo over the roar of the crowd. “Try again,” A.J. mentioned. He sought after to listen it. He sought after to sq. his model of truth along with his father’s. He leaned towards the pc as Brian performed the video for a 2nd time, then a 3rd.
“Or I’ll shoot?” Brian requested, taking a look at his son, hoping for absolution. “Can you hear any of that in there?”
“No. Not really,” A.J. mentioned.
“But do you believe what I’m telling you? Do you understand?”
A.J. studied his father from throughout the desk, in search of some roughly bridge. He believed his father was once trustworthy. He believed Brian beloved his nation and his kids and sought after the easiest for each. But A.J. additionally believed that some occasions couldn’t be rationalized — they had been both actual or imagined, both proper or mistaken — and any significant reconciliation wanted to get started from a spot of responsibility and fact.
(*6*) he mentioned.
“Yeah, I pushed the shield,” Brian mentioned, nodding. They sat in combination for a second in settlement, however then Brian reached again for his pc.
Audio produced through Adrienne Hurst.