Attorney Seeks Woman Wearing ‘Pink Beret’ Who Allegedly Lured Jan. 6 Defendant Into Capitol

A potential femme fatale who was wearing a pink beret, expensive clothing, and high heels on Jan. 6, 2021, might have been a government cooperator who lured a Washington man into the U.S. Capitol, a court filing alleges.

“Long before she was spotted walking into the Capitol hand in hand with Mr. Neely on Jan. 6 ... Pink Beret had been making a fashion statement all over the Capitol grounds,” West wrote in her filing.

Pink Beret was spotted in open-source videos near the site of the first breach of a police barrier at about 12:50 p.m. that day.

She sprinted across the west lawn wearing high heels “to get to the Capitol as quickly as possible and to be the first one to get there,” West wrote.

“She then grabbed a random man’s hand [defendant Darrell Neely] and walked him into the building. Another video shows her repeatedly waving the crowd into the Capitol,” Pope wrote.

West’s motion states that Pink Beret was seen elsewhere outside and inside the Capitol, alone and with other individuals. On the Upper West Terrace, she stood atop a small staircase “directing people like [conductor Arturo] Toscanini into the Capitol,” West alleged.

“Mr. Neely’s entry into the Capitol was directed by Pink Beret,” West contends in the court filing. “She had associates in the building that day and seemed to have information well beyond that of a normal citizen there to protest.

“Mr. Neely needs to know who she is and why she was there,” West said. “He also needs to understand if he was targeted by her that day and for what purpose.”

Neely was charged in a superseding indictment on Oct. 12, 2022, with six federal crimes: obstruction of a law enforcement officer during a civil disorder; theft of government property with less than $1,000 value; entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds; disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds; disorderly and disruptive conduct to obstruct Congress; and parading, demonstrating or picketing in a Capitol building.

“As seen on open source videos and photographs, Pink Beret was an aggressive actor and was photographed and videotaped all over the grounds. She was easily identifiable.”

West said she provided a possible identification to federal prosecutors.

West says that “at this point in time, Mr. Neely is seeking to identify this crucial witness in his case.

“The government has been withholding discovery on the identity of this important witness who would be able to testify that Mr. Neely did not steal anything while inside the Capitol and that the police items were returned to the officer in the Crypt.”

According to the defense motion, while in the Crypt, Pink Beret allegedly collected items belonging to a police officer and stuffed them in a backpack. Neely took the backpack from her and returned it to an officer standing nearby.

When the pair entered the Capitol Visitors Center, Pink Beret began acting strangely, West said in the motion.

“Pink Beret immediately turns around when Neely isn’t looking and runs to the escalator shaft,” West wrote. “She ducks down and removes her beret and continues up the escalator in a crouched position.

“During the course of their interactions, Pink Beret made statements to Mr. Neely that indicated that she knew a lot of people at the Capitol that day.”

“That seems odd, as almost all day she is solo until she attaches herself to Neely to enter the building. Why befriend a stranger only to mysteriously ditch him?” West wrote.

Pink Beret exited the Capitol at 2:43 p.m. through the Senate Wing Door, not wearing the beret and with a cloth hiding her face, West said in his court filing.

Six minutes later, she entered the Upper West Terrace entrance, where she allegedly got “cozy with a male protester” before making “a beeline to the office across the hall.”