A D.C. Superior Court judge on Wednesday denied a gun rights activist’s request to be released from jail into a high-supervision program as he awaits trial on a weapons charge, officials said.
Judge Patricia A. Broderick wrote in an order that Adam Kokesh, 31, would remain in the D.C. jail, citing a violation of bond on a previous arrest weeks before authorities arrested him on a charge of carrying a firearm in the District outside of his home or office.
Kokesh has been jailed since his arrest July 25, after he posted a 23-second video on YouTube of himself apparently loading a shotgun in Freedom Plaza on July Fourth. He sought a change in his no-bond status during a hearing Aug 13.
In her ruling, Broderick also noted that authorities found several weapons and illegal drugs in Kokesh’s Herndon home.
Sounds like punishment prior to conviction. What do you think?
I'm still waiting for David Gregory to join him.
ReplyDeleteYou're incapable of admitting that you're wrong and you're wrong to equate the two incidents. I'm not waiting for you to admit anything.
DeleteBoth broke the law. There is no scienter requirement under the two laws, so regardless of whose "crime" was "more dangerous" both are equally guilty of breaking statutes with similar levels of punishment.
DeleteWhy are they not equal in scope Mike? Kokesh broke the law and is in jail. David Gregory broke the law and the incident was ignored for all intents and purposes.
DeleteThe law should apply equally to all, but with this administration, if you have the 'right' credentials, meaning Left, then you can ignore the law and get away with it.
Mike, you must be one of those gun-rights fanatics who thinks it's OK to lie and pretend to not get something just because you're fighting for your god-given rights. You guys have eschewed honesty and integrity for your cause. You should be proud.
DeleteGregory showed an unloaded magazine in the TV studio. Kokesh loaded a shotgun in a restricted area. You can pretend, like Greg Camp does, that those are equal violations of the law, but they're not. Any honest person would see that and admit it, but not you guys.
Jaywalking and murder are both against the law. If the murderer is arrested and the jaywalker is not, is that a violation of the proper order of things?
Mikeb, as I said, both seem to be treated with similar levels of severity under the law--unlike Murder and Jaywalking. This is like a comparison between burglary and aggravated assault--two felonies.
DeleteThey're not comparable. A loaded rifle in a restricted area and an empty magazine in the TV studio are not even in the same mother fucking ball park. It's like comparing a foot massage and putting your tongue in the holy of holies.
DeleteNeither of the two harmed anyone by what they did. Given the possibility of video editing, it's even possible that Kokesh didn't do what the clip makes it appear that he did. But presuming that he actually did bring that shotgun into D.C., both broke the same law--possession without the right paperwork. Mikeb, you're excusing Gregory's action because it was on your side.
DeleteYou know, I'm a little tired, I could use a foot massage myself.
DeleteIf the two crimes are so different, then the punishment levels should reflect this--the magazine violation should be a $50 fine and the other should be a felony if there was as much of a difference as you're saying there is.
Mike B, Kokesh broke the law and will be punished for it, which is right by the laws of D.C.
DeleteDavid Gregory also broke the law, but was not arrested, nor did he have to pay a fine. He, or the producers of his show, asked before hand if he could use the illegal, unloaded magazine on his show and the request was denied, but Gregory did it anyway. He broke the law and got away with it.
It's hypocritical to think Kokesh should be punished, but Gregory shouldn't.
Only to a biased gun-rights fanatic. The severity of the crimes is what makes turning a blind eye on the lesser one OK.
DeleteIf it's such an unimportant law that doesn't need to be enforced, then why are you pushing for laws like it nationwide? And why do each of those laws make possession of such a magazine a felony?
DeleteSounds more like a flight risk to me.
ReplyDeleteWe are innocent until proven guilty and the justice system has yet to convict Mr. Kokesh. It is immoral and illegal to imprison an innocent person.
DeleteIf the justice system is convinced that the accused is dangerous and presents a huge risk to society, then they should start his trial immediately. Otherwise, release him on bond until his trial date.
This is an insult to Mr. Kokesh's dignity ... an insult to all of us because our system would treat any of us the same way. We are human beings. We are NOT objects to be abused, manipulated, exploited, and controlled. This will continue until people push back.
Sadly, Laci, you are not a flight risk.
Delete"Sounds like punishment prior to conviction."
ReplyDeleteI agree.
This is the problem with an all-powerful State: it does whatever it wants, rule-of-law be damned.
- TruthBeTold