Radix’s Newsletter

Share this post
The Tragic Story of Matthew Perna
radixverum.substack.com

The Tragic Story of Matthew Perna

January 6 Capitol protestor commits suicide while awaiting sentencing.

Radix Verum
Apr 4, 2022
4
Share this post
The Tragic Story of Matthew Perna
radixverum.substack.com

April 4, 2022 — If you were to ask the average conservative or the average America citizen who Matthew Perna is, most likely you would be met with a confused look and a shrugged “I don’t know.” And that is tragic. Matthew’s story perfectly encapsulates the injustice of the Biden administration’s witch hunt and political persecution of Americans who attended a rally on January 6, 2021 and since have been subjected to horrific treatment at the hands of an out-of-control FBI and federal government.

While awaiting sentencing after having his heart broken and his spirit crushed, Matthew reportedly committed suicide on February 25, 2022. The news of his passing was confirmed by his family and an obituary. At the time he took his life, Matthew was only 37 years old. He was from Sharpsville, Pennsylvania and he attended Penn State University.

At one point, Mr. Perna lived in Thailand and South Korea while working as an English teacher. He loved to travel, and travelled in Europe, Asia, South America, India, and across America, his homeland. Matthew loved people, and he loved helping and teaching. He went on a mission trip to Haiti and he loved animals, especially dogs. He was always eager to meet new people, make new friends and bond with others. He enjoyed trying different foods and learning about different cultures throughout his travels and studies.

Matthew was an avid runner, he enjoyed long-distance running and even won several medals. He loved music, and had an extensive library. He held a special bond with his grandfather, who had passed away.

Twitter avatar for @RepMTG
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene @RepMTG
1. Pretrial J6 defendant killed himself in jail. “Matthew Lawrence Perna died on February 25, 2022 of a broken heart. His community (which he loved), his country, and the justice system killed his spirit and his zest for life. Matt was an amazing man!” flynnfuneralhome.com/obituary/matth…
Image
4:03 AM ∙ Feb 28, 2022
3,880Likes1,616Retweets

Marjorie Taylor Greene, one of the few representatives who have spoken out about the treatment of January 6 pre-trial detainees, posted about Matthews passing in a thread on Twitter.

Matthew was a Christian who read the Bible almost daily. He played the piano and saxophone and embraced people from all backgrounds and walks of life.

On January 6, 2021 Matthew Perna drove to Washington, D.C. to “peacefully stand up for his beliefs,” attending the Capitol rally. According to Perna and his family, his goal was to exercise his rights as an American, show solidarity for President Trump and express his concerns about potential electoral misconduct.

According to author and journalist Julie Kelly, who has followed the January 6 cases very closely, after Trump’s speech Mr. Perna wearing a MAGA sweater marched to Capitol Hill. He ended up walking through an already opened door on the Senate side of the building, shortly before 3:00 pm Eastern. We have now learned, after the release of countless videos from that day, Capitol Police stood by allowing people into the building, at times literally waving them in.

Matthew Perna was not violent, he did not assault anyone or damage any property or steal anything. He simply walked through an open door, meandered around the Capitol for 15-20 minutes and then exited the building. That was his big crime.

Upon learning that the FBI was looking for him, Mr. Perna turned himself in and spoke to the FBI attempting to do the right thing. He made the mistake of thinking that the FBI was reasonable and I do not think he understood the gravity of the situation. Mr. Perna was caught up in what the Justice Department called a “Shock and Awe” campaign designed to neutralize dissent and to scare people from protesting at Biden’s inauguration, according to DOJ official Michael Sherwin.

Matthew Perna was hit with a slew of charges, including a felony charge: (1) Obstruction of an official proceeding and aiding and abetting, (2) Entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds, (3) Disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or ground, (4) Disorderly conduct in a Capitol building.

Shortly after his call with the FBI, where he agreed to voluntarily submit to questioning, his nightmare began. By the end of January, 2021 he was arrested at his home by no fewer than six FBI agents. In my humble opinion, he was not given proper legal advice. His lawyer advised him to plead guilty to all four of the charges against him. Mr. Perna had no criminal record or history, he was a good man and he assumed he would be given a light sentence.

That is not what happened though, because the federal government wanted to make an example of every single January 6 defendant, regardless of the individual merits of their case. U.S. Attorney Matthew Graves sought a lengthy prison sentence for Mr. Perna, following his guilty plea, seeking as much as  57 to 71 months in prison.

The DOJ has made absurd claims and allegations from the outset, characterizing January 6 as a so-called insurrection despite no one being charged with that. They described attendees as “white supremacists,” “Neo-Nazis” and “seditionists,” and “domestic terrorists,” despite not being able to charge anyone with domestic terror for lack of meeting the legal threshold to support that.

The government has pursued draconian pre-trial detention for non-violent,  first time offenders and have repeatedly requested delays in trials, claiming discovery is too voluminous and they are not ready. This was so they could hold people in jail, in horrific and abusive conditions as long as possible. I believe they did this to get people to take plea deals, to break people.

After more than a year of this relentless and cruel abuse by the legal system and federal government, as well as the smear campaigns by a gleeful and complicit mainstream media, Matthew lost friends, his standing in the community and it broke his heart. He saw no way out other than to end his own life.

Twitter avatar for @julie_kelly2
Julie Kelly 🇺🇸 @julie_kelly2
I met for a few hours today with Geri Perna, Matthew’s aunt. We talked about the outpouring of love—and hate—from people across the world about what happened to her beloved and INNOCENT nephew. Here’s a letter from one of the detainees in the DC Gulag:
Image
7:56 PM ∙ Mar 27, 2022
893Likes318Retweets

One of the other January 6 detainees, Kyle, wrote a letter and drew a picture of Matthew Perna, after the news of his tragic passing.

Twitter avatar for @ColumbiaBugle
The Columbia Bugle 🇺🇸 @ColumbiaBugle
The Tragic Story Of Matthew Perna Tucker Carlson Interviews The Aunt Of January 6th Political Prisoner Who Was Driven To Suicide Awaiting Sentencing Geri Perna: "He just couldn't handle it anymore. He was being persecuted & judged from every angle."
3:18 PM ∙ Mar 31, 2022
1,676Likes783Retweets
Twitter avatar for @ColumbiaBugle
The Columbia Bugle 🇺🇸 @ColumbiaBugle
Twitter avatar for @ColumbiaBugle
The Columbia Bugle 🇺🇸 @ColumbiaBugle
Heartbreaking Story About A Man Awaiting His Trial For January 6th Committing Suicide Tucker Carlson & @julie_kelly2 Discuss The Tragedy Of Matthew Perna Julie: "His family says he died of a broken heart. He was betrayed by the country that he loves." https://t.co/3bKvAKe5rI
3:22 PM ∙ Mar 31, 2022
149Likes52Retweets

Tucker Carlson of Fox News had Mr. Perna’s aunt Geri on to share his story.

Twitter avatar for @ColumbiaBugle
The Columbia Bugle 🇺🇸 @ColumbiaBugle
The Suicide Of A January 6 Defendant: ‘They Broke Him’ "Matthew Perna was failed by the country he loved." -@julie_kelly2 amgreatness.com/2022/02/27/the…
3:29 PM ∙ Mar 31, 2022
226Likes94Retweets
Twitter avatar for @ColumbiaBugle
The Columbia Bugle 🇺🇸 @ColumbiaBugle
https://t.co/mV65piXlbA
Twitter avatar for @ColumbiaBugle
The Columbia Bugle 🇺🇸 @ColumbiaBugle
Matthew Lawrence Perna | 1984 - 2022 | Obituary https://t.co/goGHSPCrLS
3:37 PM ∙ Mar 31, 2022
102Likes39Retweets
Twitter avatar for @ColumbiaBugle
The Columbia Bugle 🇺🇸 @ColumbiaBugle
Twitter avatar for @julie_kelly2
Julie Kelly 🇺🇸 @julie_kelly2
Tonight on Tucker, Geri Perna called out the head prosecutor who wanted her nephew in jail for years. This is Matthew Graves wife. Spare me the outrage over Ginni Thomas— https://t.co/W30qzPWOeK
3:40 PM ∙ Mar 31, 2022
110Likes26Retweets
Twitter avatar for @ColumbiaBugle
The Columbia Bugle 🇺🇸 @ColumbiaBugle
Twitter avatar for @winningatmylife
Heather Champion @winningatmylife
Listen to Geri Perna, the aunt of #MattPerna "Matt walked through an open door,he did not break through any barriers, he walked in while Capitol police officers stood to the side...he entered the Capitol almost 45 min after Congress had been adjourned." #Jan6 https://t.co/EZxRLX4588
4:53 PM ∙ Mar 31, 2022
126Likes55Retweets
Twitter avatar for @winningatmylife
Heather Champion @winningatmylife
Listen to Geri Perna, the aunt of #MattPerna "Matt walked through an open door,he did not break through any barriers, he walked in while Capitol police officers stood to the side...he entered the Capitol almost 45 min after Congress had been adjourned." #Jan6
11:00 PM ∙ Mar 19, 2022
7,395Likes3,237Retweets
Twitter avatar for @winningatmylife
Heather Champion @winningatmylife
"When #MattPerna found out that his picture was on the FBI site, he wasted no time in turning himself in. He lost his income, his friendships, his standing in the community. DOJ added the felony charge of obstruction to 270 protesters." #Jan6
11:02 PM ∙ Mar 19, 2022
1,146Likes438Retweets
Twitter avatar for @winningatmylife
Heather Champion @winningatmylife
"There are hundreds of people just like #MattPerna. I do not know how much more they can take. If something is not done to stop this evil torture that is being afflicted upon these people who have not even been convicted of a crime, more are going to make the choice Matt made."
11:04 PM ∙ Mar 19, 2022
1,098Likes398Retweets
Twitter avatar for @winningatmylife
Heather Champion @winningatmylife
'This is an issue of humanity. Most of our congressmen and women have remained silent on the treatment of the #Jan6 prisoners, on the overreach of power and the manipulation of our nation's laws at the hands look f the DOJ.' #MattPerna
11:06 PM ∙ Mar 19, 2022
1,302Likes500Retweets
Twitter avatar for @winningatmylife
Heather Champion @winningatmylife
This is such an important video for you to watch. Please watch the aunt of #MattPerna and listen, "This is not a Democrat or Republican issue, this is an issue of humanity," Geri Perna #Jan6
rumble.comMatt Perna’s Aunt, Geri, Honors His Memory at Congressional Press Conference #J6 - Rumble
3:36 PM ∙ Mar 19, 2022
283Likes162Retweets

Geri Perna spoke about her nephew Matthew and the injustice he faced recently.

Ms. Perna recently went on Steve Bannon’s Warroom program to talk about Matthew’s story. She refers to him as a “political prisoner of the establishment.”

This poem was published in the Epoch Times, following his tragic death.

In a normal country, Matthew would have faced at most a couple months probation for his crime of walking into a building for 20 minutes and then exiting peacefully. Perhaps he would have been given a small fine and a few hours of community service.

The Biden administration announced a new “war on domestic terror” and this is the true ugly face of it. This is what it looks like — the most powerful government in the world, turning their eyes inward, against their own citizens and using their power to persecute and smear those who dissent.

Matthew was a good man, a God-fearing patriot who spent his life trying to help educate others and spread love. His life was brought to a depressing, heart breaking, soul crushing end.

Meanwhile, those who spent the summer of 2020 rioting as part of Black Lives Matter and Antifa groups and events, who looted and committed random acts of arson and violence some of which resulted in severe injuries and death, are praised by the same establishment and given preferential treatment.

As I type this, and as you read it, there are still many January 6 political prisoners languishing inside the DC Gulag or in a jail cell where they have been for over a year suffering medical mistreatment and neglect, lack of proper nutrition and psychological as well as physical abuse. Many are being denied the ability to view the evidence that will be used against them, many are confined in isolation and lack proper legal representation.

The media continues to malign and smear these individuals. Sadly Matthew’s name will remain forever tarnished even after his death. You can make sure what happened to Matthew doesn’t happen again by helping to share his story, and by contacting your representatives and demanding they take action and end this unconstitutional oppression of American citizens.

Share this post
The Tragic Story of Matthew Perna
radixverum.substack.com
Comments
TopNewCommunity

No posts

Ready for more?

© 2023 Radix Verum
Privacy ∙ Terms ∙ Collection notice
Start WritingGet the app
Substack is the home for great writing