Record at a Glance
- Category
- Jan 6th
- Location
- Hodgenville, Kentucky
- Charges
- Engaging in Physical Violence in a Restricted Building or Grounds with a Deadly or Dangerous Weapon
- Case status
- Pleaded guilty; Sentenced
- Presidential action
- Pardon
Case Summary
On Jan. 10, 2021, Kurt Peterson alllegedly posted a lengthy message on Facebook indicating that he had been inside the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021,. The message, detailed in court documents, begins: "To my family and friends who are able to see this, I am writing it with a voice recognition program while driving. I feel the need to keep moving and trying to keep my phone wrapped such that it can’t be traced most of the time." He then described the pro-Trump rally as peaceful and loving, but added "When there are huge crowds and there are people that are inciting violence, the crowds will many times be pulled in to this action." In the post, Peterson reportedly stated that he was with three military veterans and that he was not there to hurt anybody or damage anything, but was there as a "show of solidarity to right the wrongs of the past election." According to court documents, Peterson indicated that he was there when a woman, presumably Ashli Babbitt, was fatally shot by police. Peterson reportedly added that "Nonlethal force could have been used without the lethal shot that was made by this bodyguard in the speaker's lobby" and that he offered to provide first aid but was denied. Phone records obtained from Samsung reportedly place Peterson in the Capitol that day as well. He also appeared in police body camera footage and in at least two publicly posted videos, including one from the location where Babbitt was shot, according to court documents. In one video, Peterson can allegedly be seen using his fist to smash a window on the outside of the Capitol and shouting, “This is our house. Let us in. Our house.”
Case History
Peterson pleaded Guilty to the single charge. Sentenced on 11/2/2023 to 45 Days of Incarceration; 60 Days of Supervised Release to be served as Home Incarceration; $4,700 of Restitution; $100 Special Assessment. Peterson received a full pardon on January 20, 2025
Sources
- Primary Documentation
NPR Jan. 6 Defendant DatabaseNPR - Primary Documentation
Underlying court recordCourt record linked by NPR
Case summary, charges, procedural updates and image are drawn from the NPR Jan. 6 archive snapshot dated 2026-09-25 unless otherwise indicated.