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Gag order issued in case of Bruceville-Eddy man over role in Capitol Riot

Christopher Grider, who owns Kissing Tree Vineyards at 109 W. 3rd St. in Eddy, faces a maximum of 20 years in prison if convicted.

BRUCEVILLE-EDDY, Texas — The video above was published in January 2021.

A gag order was issued Thursday in the case of Christopher Grider, Bruceville-Eddy winery owner who took part in January's riot at the Capitol.

Those involved in his case -- witnesses, attorneys, involved parties -- were ordered to not discuss the case to prevent Grider from having a fair trial by an impartial jury.

This order comes after Grider's defense lawyers filed a motion earlier this week to dismiss one of his charges.

On Monday, Grider's attorneys asked the judge to drop Count Four of his charges, which alleges Grider "attempted to, and did corruptly obstruct, influence and impede an official proceeding, that is, a proceeding before Congress, by entering and remaining in the United States Capitol without authority and engaging in disorderly and disruptive conduct and destroying federal property."

The motion states the allegation fails to state an offense, provide adequate notice of what he's charged with, as well as failed to state what Congress proceeding he obstructed.

This is a "critical issue in this case," the motion states.

Last month, a federal judge ordered Grider to be released under specific conditions detailed here. He was jailed for about a month.

According to a criminal complaint, Grider was seen in several areas of the Capitol on Jan. 6 before arriving to the Speaker's Lobby where a woman named Ashli Babbitt was fatally shot.

He was also seen holding a black helmet and later handing it to another person who used it to break the glass windows of the doors leading to the House chambers. Video showed him trying to push open the doors and then kick them.

Grider, who owns Kissing Tree Vineyards at 109 W. 3rd St. in Eddy, faces a maximum of 20 years in prison if convicted. 

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