Wichita man faces trial for alleged actions in Jan. 6 riot

A federal judge this week set a Nov. 28 trial date for Michael Eckerman, of Wichita, The Kansas City Star reported. He will be the first Kansan charged in the Capitol riot to face trial.

The felony charges against Eckerman include civil disorder and assaulting, resisting, or impeding officers.

His attorney declined to comment on Thursday, The Star reported.

Charging documents allege that Eckerman entered the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, and at one point pushed a Capitol Police officer, who fell down a small set of stairs and was sprayed with a fire extinguisher by an unknown person, according to the documents. That allowed the crowd to move past the police.

Eckerman and two women with him then went to Statuary Hall on the second floor, where he pushed his way forward to another police line and yelled at officers for several minutes, according to court records.

He then took a picture in front of the portrait of George Washington and left the building.