Jacob Hiles on Jan. 6, 2021 (via FBI court filings).
Jacob Hiles, a man convicted of misdemeanor demonstrating inside of the Capitol on Jan. 6 — and who prosecutors say boasted that morning on social media that he was “feeling cute” and “might start a revolution later”— wants a judge in Virginia to issue a default judgment in his $100 million defamation claim against news outlet CNN.
But in court records reviewed by Law&Crime on Tuesday, the media conglomerate has urged the judge to shut down the “meritless” request, arguing Hiles’ allegations that the outlet did not respond to his request promptly are unfounded.
Hiles, a charter boat captain in Virginia Beach, pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor of parading, demonstrating or picketing outside of the Capitol in the fall of 2021; he was sentenced that same year to two years probation and community service.
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But, as Law&Crime reported last July, Hiles went to court again, this time as a plaintiff suing CNN for defamation.