'He is a narcissist': Jan. 6 rioter's son explains why case was tried, says he doesn't regret turning dad in
WASHINGTON - The son of Guy Reffitt, who was sentenced to over seven years in prison Monday for his participation in the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol attack said he worries about his father’s mental health while in prison, but he does not regret turning him in to the FBI.
Jackson Reffitt told CNN he is not happy about the sentence, no one in his family is.
"He is his own person, and he has made his own choices, but he's also been pretty much manipulated into making those choices. And it pains me that he is still responsible for his actions," Reffitt said Tuesday.
He said he believes his dad "was used as a puppet," along with many others during the riot.
Guy Reffitt, who received the longest sentence handed down so far for the riot, decided not to take a plea deal and instead wanted a trial that could have given him even more time behind bars. He later regretted that decision in court.
When asked why he thought his dad made that decision, Jackson Reiffett said, "I can't think of anything other than my own experience with my father, knowing he is a narcissist, and that he has a rather large ego, and it was horrible to see him make that decision."
Jackson Reffitt warned the FBI about his dad before and after the insurrection.
He said he has talked to his father once since he has been in jail, and mentioned that he would like to talk to him again.
"I still don't even know how to process right now in terms of what I'm actually feeling. But I would just like to talk about the most pointless stuff just to go have a one on one with him at least a couple more times before he gets out," he said.
Guy Reffitt: Texas militia member sentenced to more than 7 years in most severe punishment in Capitol riot case
Guy Reffitt, a member of a right-wing militia group called Three-Percenters, told the U.S. District judge on Monday that he hates what he did, and that his mouth was his "biggest enemy."
A federal court jury in March gave guilty verdicts on five criminal counts, including obstruction, against Reffitt in the first jury trial to come out of the government's investigation of the attack.
Reffitt's son told prosecutors that his father cautioned against reporting his actions to authorities, saying "traitors get shot."
Guy Reffit's involvement: 'Every mob needs a leader': Jury set to begin deliberations in trial of Texas man charged in Jan. 6
Contributing: Kevin Johnson