US Marine veteran dies in Florida while awaiting trial for Jan. 6 related charges

A 61-year-old U.S. military veteran awaiting trial in connection with the Jan. 6 Capitol breach has died at a Florida hospital, according to family and his legal team.

The veteran has been identified as John Anderson.

"My sweet, handsome husband went home to be with the Lord," Anderson's wife said through her later husband's lawyer, Marina Medvin.

Anderson reportedly died Sept. 21, but his cause of death has not been disclosed.

Anderson, a Marine Corps veteran, was charged with seven counts in connection with the breach including civil disorder, interfering with law enforcement and theft of government property.

He was arrested in February in St. Augustine, Florida. 

Screenshots and video surveillance from the day of the breach indicate that Anderson was struck during the chaos with a chemical substance released by a man in the crowd. He was then hit with police pepper spray. Ultimately, he was assisted by officers through a Capitol tunnel and said that those officers saved his life. 

Authorities argued that Anderson was part of the crowd that tried permeating the Capitol through a tunnel while clashing with officers during the process. But, his legal representation say he was trapped by the aggressive crowd pushing toward the Capitol complex and could not exit the shuffle. 

"John Anderson died an innocent man wrongfully accused," said his attorney, he "never hurt of touched a single police officer. The video evidence proves this."

Prior to his passing, Anderson and Medvin were preparing to reject a plea deal.