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Derek Kinnison, pardoned for Jan. 6 crimes, gets hero’s welcome at Temecula church
In the eyes of a Washington, D.C. jury, Derek Kinnison is a criminal who took part in an insurrection. But at 412 Church Temecula Valley, Kinnison is a true Christian.
The 43-year-old Lake Elsinore man and his family received an embrace from Pastor Tim Thompson, a standing ovation and cheers at the church Sunday, Jan. 26, almost a week after Kinnison and others convicted of crimes in the Jan. 6, 2021, U.S. Capitol riot received pardons from President Donald Trump.
RELATED: Pardons for Southern California Jan. 6 defendants include those who attacked police
“The Bible says that we weep with those who weep,” Thompson told a packed house. “Certainly nine months ago when he was going into prison, we all wept with this family as they wept. But today, we rejoice with them as they rejoice.”
Thompson welcomed Kinnison, his wife Amie and his 16-year-old daughter Faye on stage to a cheering congregation. A member of 412 Church, Kinnison talked about holding daily devotional services while incarcerated and reading the message for Jan. 20, the day he was pardoned.
It was a verse from Exodus “and it’s ‘let my people go,’” Kinnison said to loud applause.
While Kinnison was also the guest at a post-service party at the southwest Riverside County church, others said it’s offensive to honor Kinnison and others who were pardoned for their actions on Jan. 6.
“Someone who made plans to bring weapons to the Capitol in order to do whatever it was that they were planning on doing there … the church I was raised in would never have done anything like that,” said Murrieta resident Jenn Reeves, a Thompson critic. “To me, that is very much against what Christianity truly should be.”
She added: “The fact that a church would celebrate a man who not only helped plan but actually helped in the transport of weapons to the Capitol is a very dangerous precedent to set.”
Brian Levin, professor emeritus at Cal State San Bernardino and founding director of its Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism, said via email that he “fully and unequivocally support(s) the First Amendment right of others to be cringe-worthy wrong for celebrating those in the self-proclaimed ‘DC Brigade’ whose participants were duly convicted of multiple insurrection felonies.”
“I do have a question,” Levin added. “Doesn’t forgiveness, let alone celebration, elementally require acknowledgement of proven wrongdoing? A grace noticeably and condemnably lacking here.”
Kinnison said he wasn’t expecting to be taken into custody when he arrived in Washington, D.C. for sentencing. He said he told the prosecutors: “I”m going to be a prisoner for Christ. I’m not a prisoner of the (U.S. Department of Justice).”
Amie Kinnison said she felt “over the moon” about her husband’s release. Fay said she was “ecstatic,” adding: “I’m just so proud to be the daughter of a J6er.”
Thompson also incorporated Kinnison into his Sunday message for the congregation. Talking about how true Christians don’t throw pity parties for themselves, Thompson said Kinnison never complained about his troubles while in prison.
“Bad things happen to good people, and Derek knew that,” Thompson said.
Afterward, the church held a party for Kinnison featuring the food he missed while in prison — tacos.
People signed framed images of the American flag with messages reading “Welcome home! God bless you,” “May God grant you a double pardon for all that was lost” and “Great to have you back Patriot!”
Bracelets on a table at the church read “Free the J6ers.”
In an interview Sunday, Kinnison, who was sentenced to more than two years in prison, criticized what he called unfair treatment by this newspaper and other media.
“I’ve had a lot of attacks through the media and it’s led to hate mail coming to my house,” he said. “My house has been attacked.”
Kinnison said: “I understand that it’s pretty easy, especially off of reading — You Google my name and I mean it’s bad. My online presence is mostly negative.”
He added: “God calls men to be protectors. That day on Jan. 6, there were probably a couple million people at the Ellipse rally (at the Capitol). So that’s a pretty big group of people to just categorize together. Everybody had different reasons … My heart, as Pastor Tim said, is just safety. I worked security for the church.”
Kinnison said he did “some First Aid training” and brought about $500 worth of trauma gear to the Capitol.
He said he was at the Capitol “to potentially mitigate situations. Everywhere that I went as far as rallies prior to (Jan. 6), we would always engage law enforcement and say, ‘Hey, we’re here to help.’”
“That was always our heart, was to be protectors and just to try to mitigate situations,” he said. “The other flip side of that coin was, four guys — at the time I was 39 … we all had some time off work and we rented a car and we went on a road trip. We called it Cannonball Run 2021.”
Kinnison is among hundreds of people, including at least two dozen from Southern California, convicted for crimes related to the riot receiving pardons from Trump, who issued them shortly after taking office Monday, Jan. 20, and has referred to the convicts as “hostages” and “political prisoners.”
After a 17-day jury trial, Kinnison and three other Inland Empire residents — Erik Scott Warner of Menifee, Felipe Antonio “Tony” Martinez of Lake Elsinore and Ronald Mele of Temecula — were convicted in federal court in November 2023 of conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding and obstruction of an official proceeding.
In addition, Warner and Kinnison were convicted of tampering with documents or proceedings, a felony, after they erased social-media chats from their phone to hide them from a grand jury probe.
The four men also were found guilty of misdemeanor offenses of entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds and disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds.
According to prosecutors, the men at the time were members of the Three Percenters, a far-right anti-government militia that believes only 3% of colonists fought the British during the American Revolution. Kinnison said Sunday he was a Three Percenter, but not now.
According to the indictment, on Jan. 6, Kinnison and the other Inland Empire men went to the Ellipse for the rally and afterward headed toward the Capitol. As they approached the Capitol about 2 p.m., Kinnison announced, “This is the storm of the Capitol,” the indictment alleged.
Kinnison was among those who advanced on a police line on the northwest lawn, and while he didn’t enter the Capitol, he and two others ascended to the Upper West Terrace intending to join Warner, who entered the building, prosecutors said.
Kinnison said Sunday he had an opportunity to enter an open door at the Capitol, but “I made the discernment that ‘OK, that’s not a welcome situation.’ I’m not here for this. People were battling with police. I’m not anybody who wants to battle with police.”
Kinnison’s attorney Nicolai Cocis confirmed the men brought with them ballistic vests, bear spray, gas masks, handguns and shotguns for defense against Antifa. Kinnison said he brought “defensive tools” as “a last resort” but had no intentions to attack anyone.
“I’ve hugged it out in the middle of the streets with Antifa,” Kinnison said.
The head of 412 Church, Thompson is well-connected to prominent conservatives.
The president’s son, Eric Trump, and Trump attorney Alina Habba headlined a May 2024 fundraiser for Thompson’s Inland Empire Family Political Action Committee, which supports Christian conservative school board candidates, including several elected to school boards in southwest Riverside County and Redlands.
Also appearing at the fundraiser was Kash Patel, Trump’s pick to lead the FBI. Patel appeared on Thompson’s “Our Watch” program broadcast via social media.
Thompson also has interviewed far-right media figure and former National Security Advisor Michael Flynn, conservative filmmaker Dinesh D’Souza and Riverside County District Attorney Mike Hestrin, among others.
Staff writers Arianna Clay and Brian Rokos contributed to this report.
By CLIFF BRUNT AP Sports Writer
OKLAHOMA CITY — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 38 points a day after being named the NBA’s MVP, and the Oklahoma City Thunder overwhelmed the Minnesota Timberwolves again, winning 118-103 on Thursday night to take a 2-0 lead in the Western Conference finals.
Gilgeous-Alexander shot 12 for 21 from the field and 13 for 15 from the free-throw line after receiving his MVP trophy from Commissioner Adam Silver before the game.
“I feel like all my emotions were so high, but I was a little bit tired out there, especially at the start,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “I was a little too juiced up. Special moment. I’m happy we won so I can really enjoy the last couple days and soak it up. That really helps.”
Jalen Williams had 26 points and 10 rebounds and Chet Holmgren added 22 points for the Thunder.
Oklahoma City’s Lu Dort was named first-team all defense and Williams was named second-team all-defense earlier in the day. They helped anchor a unit that held Minnesota to 41.4% shooting.
“When you win games, you do it together and you have fun out there, everything else – all the individual stuff you want – it comes with it,” Gilgeous-Alexander said.
Anthony Edwards scored 32 points for Minnesota, but it took him 26 shots to get them. Jaden McDaniels scored 22 points and Nickeil Alexander-Walker added 17 for the Timberwolves.
Game 3 is Saturday in Minneapolis.
Gilgeous-Alexander hit a 3-pointer with 16 seconds left in the first half, then made a pair of free throws with three seconds remaining to help Oklahoma City take a 58-50 lead. He scored 19 points before the break.
“We didn’t close the half very well,” Minnesota coach Chris Finch said. “I thought if we close the half better then we don’t put ourselves on such a razor edge in the third.”
In the third quarter, Gilgeous-Alexander drove to the paint and threw up a wild shot that went in as he was fouled by his cousin, Alexander-Walker. Gilgeous-Alexander made the free throw to give the Thunder a 73-64 lead.
A lob by Cason Wallace to Holmgren for a two-handed jam on a fast break put Oklahoma City ahead 82-65 late in the third quarter. The Thunder took a 93-71 advantage into the fourth.
Minnesota closed to within 10 in the final period, but Oklahoma City kept the Timberwolves at bay late. Now, Minnesota gets to go home, where it is 4-1 in the playoffs.
Finch remained optimistic.
“Every minute in a series is a chance to find something,” he said. “So we’re going to go back home. This is a good team at home. So we’re going to go home and fight for Game 3. Heads up, look at the tape and get ready for Game 3.”
MONTEBELLO – The deeper a team goes in the playoffs, the tougher it gets. The Montebello baseball team has found that out the last three seasons.
The Oilers have amassed 61 wins during that span, but each time they have bowed out of the CIF Southern Section playoffs in the quarterfinals.
Montebello had flawless pitching and defense over the first two rounds of the postseason, but three errors helped contribute to a 7-3 loss to Heritage Christian in the Division 6 quarterfinals Thursday.
The Oilers (20-10) briefly threatened in the bottom of the seventh by scoring two runs, but left the bases loaded.
Heritage Christian (20-8-1) advances to Tuesday’s semifinals. It will face the winner of Friday’s game between Marshall and Santa Fe.
“You know, they are fighters year in and year out and this is the third year in a row going to the quarterfinals,” Montebello coach Manny Arana said. “We’ve had success and they’re all winners and we instill in them to be a winner. You have to be a fighter.
“You could see that in the last inning with a ball that could have gone five feet either way and put the tying run on base. After that, anything can happen. That’s baseball.”
Leading the way for the Oilers were senior center fielder Isaiah Cervantes, who had two singles, and freshman shortstop Nathan Govea, who had two singles and scored a run. Senior catcher Roberto Barraza had a double and an RBI.
Heritage Christian senior shortstop Eden Nalin led the way for team with three hits and an RBI, while three other players had two hits apiece.
The Warriors (22-8-1) opened the scoring with two runs in the first inning. One run came across on the first of three errors by the Oilers.
Two innings later, Montebello cut the lead in half with a run in the third inning.
Starting pitcher Fernando Cruz singled up the middle with two outs and came home on a double to left by Barraza.
The Oilers left two runners on base in the inning and also left runners on second and third in the second inning.
“From day one in the playoffs we’ve told them you have to throw strikes, play defense and get a clutch hit,” Arana said. “The first two games we did that and (Thursday) we had a couple of opportunities early and missed and that hurt us.”
Cruz opened the playoffs with a one-hitter. On Thursday Cruz scattered six his through five innings with five strikeouts.
“It’s been a good ride with my teammates, and we’ve been playing together for almost two or three years,” Cruz said. “I’ve shared the field with these seniors since before high school.”
The sixth inning turned out to be the downfall for Montebello, as the Warriors scored three runs.
With two outs, an infield pop fly was dropped for the third error of the game. That loaded the bases and the next two Warriors batters combined to knock in the three runs and increase their lead to 5-1.
Two more runs came across the next inning for a 7-1 advantage.
“In the seventh inning, we were down 7-1, but our team almost managed to get a comeback,” Cruz added. “We had the tying run at the plate, but just couldn’t get it done.”
Cruz was referring to the two-run rally and how they left the bases loaded to end the game.
Govea opened the inning with a single to left. Senior left fielder Devin Lopez was hit by the pitch and Cervantes loaded the bases with a single to right center.
An RBI walk to junior second baseman Michael Rios brought in the second run and a sacrifice fly by Cruz sent Lopez in to score. A fly ball to right ended the game and season for the Oilers.
Two tenant unions and several residents have each filed lawsuits against the city of Pasadena and the county of Los Angeles, frustrated in what they allege are agencies that have failed to meet their legal responsibilities to inspect and enforce safe and habitable living standards for renters following the Eaton fire.
Neighborhood Legal Services of L.A. County, a nonprofit legal advocacy group, announced on Thursday morning that, in conjunction with the legal firm Morrison Foerster LLP, it had filed lawsuits on behalf of the Altadena Tenants Union, Pasadena Tenants Union, along with four named wildfire survivors.
“The message that we’re sending with these lawsuits is simple,” said Whitney O’Byrne, a partner with Morrison Foerster and a board member of NLSLA. “When a government agency fails to protect the health and safety of its residents, especially the most vulnerable, it must be held accountable.”
The lawsuits aim to force government agencies to take legally required actions to thoroughly inspect rental residences for hazardous toxins and see that appropriate remediation methods are used by landlords to make them safe and livable.
“A primary issue presenting was that landlords were not remediating units contaminated with toxic smoke, soot and ash,” said Lena Silver, director of policy and administrative advocacy at NLSLA.
Silver said the city and county governments are responsible for conducting the inspections that are the first step in the process, but they have not met that responsibility.
“The County of Los Angeles Department of Public Health, responsible for enforcing and inspecting habitability rights for tenants in unincorporated Altadena, and the City of Pasadena Code Compliance Division, responsible for doing the same in Pasadena, both maintain that smoke, soot and ash inspection do not fall within their purview,” she said.
“Pasadena continues to state that smoke and ash remediation is a purely civil issue,” Silver said. “While Los Angeles has informed us that it has performed a handful of inspections, the type of inspection they’re providing cannot adequately identify the health risks of the impact of toxic smoke, soot and ash.”
L.A. County Public Health did not comment on the claims, and Pasadena’s spokesperson said the city has not been served with the lawsuit and couldn’t respond.
Conditions have put tenants between a rock and a hard place, Silver explained. Because some landlords are refusing to pay for the professional, certified remediation necessary to address toxins imbedded in places like walls and insulation, renters are having to make a choice.
Some have moved back in to unclean units and have begun experiencing health issues, Silver said, because they can’t afford to move elsewhere. Others are still living in temporary quarters, or in their cars, or paying two rents at once in order to keep their Altadena and Pasadena places, because they’re ultimately more affordable.
“We’ve also heard stories of tenants paying out of pocket at extremely high cost for testing just to confirm the toxic levels of lead and other contaminants that we know are present,” Silver said.
Brenda Lyon, a tenant in Pasadena, asked her landlord to file a homeowner’s claim in order to bring in a qualified remediation team, but they refused. Instead, she and her husband paid out of pocket for the work, expecting reimbursement from the landlord.
“I called every politician’s office, every city office,” Lyon said. “I was advised to file a code compliance, so I did, (but) the code compliance was denied, stating my problem was a civil issue.
“A habitable premise, per the state of California, is a right of a tenant,” she said, “so why would no one in the city make that happen for me?”
When she and her husband again approached the landlord about filing a homeowner’s claim so the couple could be reimbursed, they were told No and that, if they didn’t like it, they could move.
“We need our city to have our back, so that we can all move back in safely,” Lyon said.
Katie Clark, a founder of Altadena Tenant Union, who lost her rental home of 15 years to the Eaton fire, said she speaks with people every day that are still displaced, are living in unclean facilities, have been hit with illegal rent hikes, or are a step away from being homeless because their money is dwindling as they cover the cost of temporary housing.
“Throughout all of this, Los Angeles County has been virtually silent when it comes to the plight of tenants,” she said.
Many, Clark said, are people of modest means who rely on rent-controlled apartments to get by.
“The county has consistently passed the buck and shrugged off its responsibilities, telling tenants, ‘You’re on your own,’” she said.
“We’ve been told there’s nothing the County can do,” she said. “We know that’s not true … Just because we don’t own property doesn’t mean we’re not part of this community.”
Silver and the legal teams from both groups intend to make both Pasadena and L.A. County meet their obligations.
“The County and City must immediately provide adequate inspections of rental units with smoke, soot and ash damage caused by the Eaton fire and do it in a manner that actually ensures the health and safety of tenants,” Silver said. “They must cite property owners for any damage and they must require property owners to remediate that damage promptly and thoroughly to eliminate any health risks.”
Jarret Liotta is a Los Angeles-based freelance writer and photographer.
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