Former Virginia police officer testifies against former colleague in January 6 trial

By Holmes Lybrand, CNN

A former officer of the Rocky Mount Police in Virginia who went inside the US Capitol on January 6, 2021, took the stand Wednesday to testify against his former sergeant, Thomas Robertson.

Jacob Fracker told the jury how he, Robertson and Robertson’s neighbor had traveled to Washington together and how he and Robertson had gone into the Capitol and taken a photo together.

Fracker, who pleaded guilty in March to one count of conspiracy for his actions on January 6, agreed to testify against Robertson as part of a plea deal with the government.

“I absolutely hate this,” Fracker said at the beginning of his hours-long testimony, telling the jury later that he had nicknamed Robertson, who used to be a close friend, “Dad” and Robertson would call him “son.”

Robertson faces six charges for his actions around the Capitol attack, including obstructing an official proceeding, entering restricted grounds and impeding law enforcement.

Fracker told the jury that he had driven with Robertson and his neighbor to DC at Robertson’s behest and that Robertson had brought gas masks for each of them.

Fracker said the three men had crossed barriers and had seen police try to stop rioters as they went from the Stop the Steal rally to the Capitol that day. Before making it to the building, Fracker and Robertson were separated as they climbed several flights of stairs outside, he testified.

“I entered through a doorway, kind of looked around a bit,” Fracker said. He said he “took a video in that main foyer area” before looking for Robertson.

When inside, Fracker testified, he was “full of adrenaline” and thought “that if we could make a big enough fuss, the government would listen” and overturn the election results.

After joining back up inside the Capitol, Fracker and Robertson took a photo together as “kind of a check-in photo for one of our buddies,” Fracker said. The two of them joined a crowd, chanting and cheering in the Crypt of the Capitol, and started to leave when officers came and ordered them to exit, Fracker testified.

According to Fracker, on the car ride back home to Rocky Mount, the pair discussed the topic of a next civil war.

After being contacted by the FBI and told to turn themselves in, Fracker drove to Robertson’s home and gave Robertson his phone. “I was terrified about the videos and pictures that were on it,” Fracker testified. Robertson put the phones in an ammunition can, telling Fracker something like “problem solved,” according to Fracker.

He also testified that Robertson had paid him a lump sum of $30,000 but did not specify what the payment was for.

Two DC police officers also testified Wednesday, telling the jury how they had been called in as backup for police protecting the Capitol and had had to make their way through the crowd of rioters, who attacked them with items like cement, rocks, chemical spray and sticks.

One officer, Noah Duckett, testified that he and another officer had been hit by a man holding a stick, who the prosecution says was Robertson, as they tried to pass through.

“We literally have no choice but to stick together,” Duckett said of his unit of 25 to 30 police officers. “They have the numbers, they (had) the upper hand.”

The trial will continue Thursday, with more testimony from Fracker and DC police officers expected.

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