Record at a Glance
- Category
- Jan 6th
- Age in NPR record
- 62
- Location
- Saint Louis, Missouri
- Charges
- Theft of Government Property
- Case status
- Pleaded guilty; Sentenced
- Presidential action
- Pardon
Case Summary
Federal prosecutors allege that William Merry Jr. can be seen in news footage from inside the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, standing alongside Emily Hernandez, who has been identified as his niece and also faces federal charges related to the riot. In that footage, Merry allegedly held a broken piece of a wooden sign that read “Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi," which apparently was taken from outside Pelosi's office. Merry was arrested on Feb. 4, 2021, in Missouri. According to The Associated Press, Merry's attorney said, "He believes he had a right to attend a rally and voice his political beliefs like we all do, but he does not in any way, shape or form condone any type of violence or property destruction or any type of insurrection of the government.”
Case History
Merry pleaded Guilty to the charge. Sentenced 4/11/2022 to 45 days in jail, nine months of supervised release, including 80 hours community service, $500 restitution; $25 special assessment. Merry 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.