WASHINGTON (KNWA/KFTA) — The trial of an Arkansas man facing federal charges for his participation in the January 6, 2021 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol has been delayed due to health issues of the defendant’s attorney.

Gravette’s Richard Barnett, 61, is facing a host of charges and his trial was set to begin on September 6. But on July 12, his attorney, Joseph D. McBride, submitted a request to push back a pretrial filing deadline by 30 days because “he was still recovering from COVID-19.” Due to “lingering and disruptive symptoms,” McBride underwent additional testing and reported to the court that he is suffering from Chronic Lyme Disease in addition to long-term effects of COVID.

The prosecution did not object to the defense’s request for a 30-day extension for Barnett’s team to file pretrial motions. At a July 18 pretrial status hearing, Judge Christopher R. Cooper granted the request and also delayed the trial start date to December 12.

In March, the defense requested and received a similar extension due to the “voluminous” amount of discovery data in the case.

Barnett is charged with: Obstruction of an Official Proceeding; Aiding and Abetting; Entering and Remaining in a Restricted Building or Grounds with a Deadly or Dangerous Weapon; Disorderly and Disruptive Conduct in a Restricted Building or Grounds with a Deadly or Dangerous Weapon; Entering and Remaining in Certain Rooms in the Capitol Building; Disorderly Conduct in a Capitol Building; Parading, Demonstrating, or Picketing in a Capitol Building; Theft of Government Property.

He has pleaded not guilty to all charges.