A former U.S. Army soldier charged with assaulting police officers during the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol was ordered to be released from custody on Tuesday. Edward Richmond Jr., a military veteran with a history of violence, had been arrested a day earlier for his involvement in the mob attack.

Federal prosecutor Assistant U.S. Attorney Lyman Thornton III had argued for Richmond's pretrial detention, citing his possession of an AR-15 rifle and ammunition found during a search of his Louisiana home. Due to his criminal history, Richmond was prohibited from owning firearms. Thornton emphasized that Richmond posed a flight risk and was a threat to the community, highlighting his aggressive behavior towards law enforcement.

However, U.S. Magistrate Judge Erin Wilder-Doomes decided to release Richmond after a detention hearing. The judge noted that Richmond has strong community ties and appeared to be a loving father, taking into account the presence of his 16-year-old son and other relatives at the hearing.

Defense attorney John McLindon argued that Richmond had not been evading authorities in the three years since the Capitol riot and suggested that his client was aware of the impending charges.

Edward Richmond Jr., 40, of Geismar, Louisiana, had been wearing protective gear and a Louisiana state flag patch when he assaulted police officers in a tunnel outside the Capitol on January 6, 2021, according to an FBI agent's affidavit.

Richmond's criminal history includes a conviction for manslaughter in 2004 for the fatal shooting of a handcuffed civilian in Iraq. He had served in the U.S. Army and received a dishonorable discharge. Initially facing a charge of unpremeditated murder, Richmond's sentence was reduced to voluntary manslaughter by an Army court-martial panel.

The January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol resulted in the injury of over 100 police officers, and Richmond is among the more than 1,200 individuals who have been charged with federal crimes in connection with the incident.