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Son of famed American artist charged in Jan. 6 Capitol riot

Capitol Riot Painter's Son
Posted at 3:37 PM, Apr 26, 2022
and last updated 2022-04-26 16:37:17-04

For years, Vincent Gillespie waged a legal battle to try to gain control of hundreds of paintings by his father, renowned postwar American artist Gregory Gillespie.

His father's works of art have been shown at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Whitney Museum of American Art, and the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston

But now he's one of more than 700 people charged in connection to the Jan. 6 riot at the Capitol.

Prosecutors say that on Jan. 6, 2021, Gillespie engaged in a very different kind of battle, joining rioters as they tried to wrest control of the U.S. Capitol from the federal government.

Investigators say Gillespie was identified by half a dozen sources from photos and video taken that day.

Associated Press video showed Gillespie milling about outside the Capitol speaking defiantly about his role in the attack.

Gillespie was seen amongst the group trying to force their way into a tunnel at the Lower West Terrace of the Capitol.

He told an AP journalist that day as blood was visibly on his scalp that they almost overpowered them.

He didn't hesitate to give his name to the journalist, but when asked where he was from, he hesitated a bit before saying he was from Massachusetts.

“They’ll come after me, man,” he told the reporter.

He faces charges including civil disorder, assaulting officers, and disorderly conduct in the Capitol. 

Gillespie has pleaded not guilty to federal charges.