In a new court document, the Acting U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia today (Tuesday) revealed in the most graphic detail yet about the role that Narrowsburg native Edward Jacob Lang, 26, played in the January 6, 2021 riots at the U.S. Capitol.
In the 36-page government's opposition to defendant's motion for release, Acting U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips along with Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa Jackson, allege that Lang used his feet, a baseball bat and a Capitol Police shield to attack multiple officers that day.
Lang is the son of former Town of Tusten council member Ned Lang who was arrested on January 16 at his Newburgh apartment after he bragged about and posted videos of himself on social media taking part in the attacks.
In their conclusion, arguing against Lang's request to be released from the Washington, DC jail while he awaits trial, the attorneys for the government wrote:
"What is extremely troubling about the Defendant’s role in this attack is the severity of his actions, the length of time he was engaged in fighting law enforcement, the de facto leadership role he took, and the escalation of his violent assaults. As noted above, around 2:40 p.m., on January 6, 2021, the Defendant joined a large mob that substantially outnumbered law enforcement guarding the Lower West Terrace doors to the Capitol. The Defendant was part of a group that pushed forward inside of a small tunnel to reach the Lower West Terrace doors and attacked law enforcement in an effort to gain entry. The law enforcement officers were all in full uniform with the word “police” clearly visible. Over the next two and a half hours, the rioters continued to fight with law enforcement guarding these doors. The Defendant played a leading role in that effort, continually re-engaging with law enforcement on the front lines from 2:40 p.m. to around 5 p.m., when according to his own account, he was shot in the foot with a rubber bullet."
Below are more key excerpts from the legal filing regarding Lang's alleged violence:
"As captured best on Exhibit W, around 4:55 p.m., another rioter handed LANG the bat that had been used by other rioters at least twice before to attack the officers. Over the next five minutes, from 4:55 p.m. to 5 p.m., LANG repeatedly, and strategically, attacked the officers guarding the Capitol with that bat. Specifically, he can be seen striking the officers with the bat at the following times: 4:54.58 p.m.; 4:56.30 p.m.; 4:56.44 p.m.; 4:57.13 p.m.; 4:57.15 p.m.; 4:57.21 p.m.; 4:57.26 p.m.; 4:57.32 p.m.; 4:58.06 p.m.; 4:58.29 p.m.; 4:59.10 p.m.; 4:59.32 p.m.; 4:59.49 p.m.; 4:59.51 p.m.; 4:59.54 p.m.; and 4:59.58 p.m. These are captured on Exhibit V and Exhibit Y (BWC footage from one of the officers repeatedly hit with the bat). LANG only stopped after he was shot with a rubber bullet that hit him in the foot."
The U.S. Attorneys also allege that:
"LANG responded by hitting Officer T.C. with the stolen shield, first at 4:43.36 p.m., then again at 4:43.29 p.m., then again at 4:43.51 p.m., then again at 4:43.53 p.m., and then again at 4:43.56 p.m. LANG then came at the officer with the shield at an angle at 4:44.31 p.m., then hitting him again at 4:44.33 p.m., then again at 4:44.51 p.m., and then again at 4:44.57 p.m. At 4:45.07 p.m., LANG told the officer: “You work for us,” then hit him again at 4:45.42 p.m., and then hit the officer beside him. "
Another excerpt from the government alleges that:
"As shown in Exhibit F, the BWC footage from Sgt. J.M. from the same time of around 2:57 p.m., LANG can be seen repeatedly kicking at the officer as he is stuck up against the door. As Sgt. J.M. is bent forward trying to hold onto his shield at the time, his BWC faces downward. The first kick is visible at 2:57.17; the second kick at 2:57.32; the third kick at 2:57.38; the fourth kick at 2:57.40; and the fifth kick at 2:57.52. (Although the top half of the person kicking is not visible in the BWC footage, the pants and shoes match those worn by LANG, as shown in Exhibit G, a photo of LANG on January 6 recovered from his phone (with an added red box around LANG). Moreover, the position of the kicker corresponds with where LANG can be seen standing, as shown in EXHIBIT B.)"
Lang is next scheduled to appear, virtually, in the District Court for the District of Columbia before Judge Carl J. Nichols on September 14.
The SullivanTimes late Tuesday reached out to Lang's defense attorneys for comment.
On August 25, the attorneys - Steven Metcalf II and Martin Tankleff - declined to reply to our request for comment after The SullivanTimes reported exclusively about a December 2020 incident in Lima, Ohio in which Lang allegedly beat one of his childhood friends and was also arrested for Operating a Vehicle Under the Influence. (OVI) A warrant remains for his arrest in the OVI incident.
Metcalf and Tankleff had argued in their motion for Lang's release that their client was a good person because he tried to rescue another person who was involved in a confrontation with the Capitol police. That motion was filed just hours before the SullivanTimes published its report about the Lima incidents.