CBC News’ David Common breaks down what happened on Capitol Hill on Wednesday and how U.S. President Donald Trump stoked discontent among his supporters before he lost the election.
A Pilot Mountain woman facing charges in connection with the breach at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6 turned herself in on Monday and was released pending future court appearances.
Virginia Marie Spencer of Pilot Mountain appeared in federal court in Durham Monday morning after turning herself in to the FBI, authorities said.
Spencer is charged with engaging in disorderly conduct inside the Capitol and with entering a restricted government property for the purpose of disrupting government business.
The charges are similar to some also filed against Spencer's husband, Christopher Raphael Spencer, who made his way into the Capitol along with a mob that invaded the building in protest of the counting of the electoral votes in the 2020 Presidential election.
Christopher Spencer is additionally charged with obstruction of justice. Spencer was released after his arrest in January.
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The Spencers appear in video footage that others made during the breach, and Christopher Spencer shot video as well while inside the Capitol.
Virginia Spencer told the FBI in an interview before charges were filed that she was in the building only a short time, that she and her husband were forced inside by the pressure of the crowd pushing behind them, and that they left by the first available exit after they got inside.
Investigators paint a different picture: They say the video footage shows no sign of the couple looking for an exit, and that Virginia Spencer was with her husband as he took part in various demonstrations inside the Capitol: Shouting for people to break open the doors to the House chamber, chanting "Stop the Steal!" multiple times and shouting obscenities, apparently at police officers.
Virginia Spencer told investigators that before they entered the Capitol, they had been listening to former President Donald Trump speak to a rally, in which Trump made mention of people marching to the Capitol. That's when the couple decided to head that way.
