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- Jacob Chansley, infamous for his role in the January 6 Capitol attack, wants his headdress back.
- The "QAnon Shaman" told the Daily Beast there's no justification for the government to retain it.
- His attorney questioned the government's "shifting excuses."
Jacob Chansley, the "QAnon Shaman" who spent 27 months in prison for his role in the January 6 insurrection, is asking the FBI to return his horned headdress, the Daily Beast reports.
Chansley's unique appearance, featuring his Viking hat, fur, and horns, made him a standout figure among the pro-Trump Capitol mob in 2021.
The headdress has become a symbol of the Capitol insurgency, with some of the most memorable images of the attack featuring Chansley and his horns.
The FBI confiscated his headdress and belongings when he turned himself in.
He says there's no justification for the government to retain the headdress as evidence as he's done his time.
"The case is over, so there's no reason for them to continue holding onto it."
"They're keeping it like it's evidence," he told the Daily Beast.
Chansley, now on probation, is still an outspoken advocate for Donald Trump.
He wants to wear the headdress at future campaign events. His attorney, Bill Shipley, questioned the government's "shifting excuses" for retaining the headdress.
No regrets
Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images
Chansley has been capitalizing on his notoriety, selling "America's Shaman" T-shirts on his website, adorned with the distinctive headdress.
After pleading guilty and making a heartfelt apology regarding his role in the Capitol attack, Chansley said he regretted his guilty plea.
"Regrets only weigh down the mind," Chansley told the BBC. "They're like sandbags on a hot air balloon."
When he was released from prison 14 months early, he said he wanted his plea reversed.
He had been released in March 2023 and moved into a halfway house for two months.
His obstruction charge could have landed him in jail for up to 20 years.
In November, Business Insider's Katie Balevic reported that the self-proclaimed shaman wanted to run for Congress.
As a convicted felon, he cannot vote in elections, but he can stand in them.
He reportedly filed initial paperwork with Arizona's Secretary of State's Office, revealing that he planned to run as a Libertarian for the 8th congressional District.
On Saturday, three years to the day after the January 6 attack on the Capitol, three fugitives wanted in connection with alleged crimes committed during the insurrection were arrested in Florida.
Since supporters of then-President Donald Trump swarmed the US Capitol on January 6, 2021 — forcing Congress to go into lockdown and damaging the halls of government — more than 1,000 people have been arrested and charged with crimes.