Roger Stone will testify to explain Instagram post showing judge next to rifle crosshair

Roger Stone will take witness stand in Washington federal court on Thursday to explain his controversial Instagram post showing the judge in his case, Amy Berman Jackson, next to a rifle scope crosshair, the judge said as a hearing on the issue began.

Jackson is considering whether to revoke or modify Stone's $250,000 criminal release bond. The judge also is mulling whether to tighten a partial gag order she had imposed on Stone barring him from making public statements that could prejudice the pending case against him.

This is a breaking news story. Check back for updates.

Stone's Instagram account on Monday had briefly posted the crosshair photo of Jackson.

Tweet

The picture was soon taken down after it drew attention Monday, and Stone and his lawyers apologized for it being posted.

But Jackson on Tuesday ordered the self-admitted dirty trickster Stone to appear in her courtroom on Thursday to explain why she should not either tighten a partial gag order she had imposed on him, or modify or even revoke his release bond.

Jackson last week had ordered Stone and his legal team not to make public statements that could prejudice case against him.

Stone, 66, was arrested in January at his Florida home on charges of witness tampering, obstruction of justice and making false statements to Congress.

Special counsel Robert Mueller accuses him of lying to Congress about his alleged efforts to have WikiLeaks release emails stolen from Democrats by Russian intelligence agents, including Hillary Clinton's campaign chairman, during the 2016 presidential campaign.

Stone has pleaded not guilty in the case.

Before he arrived at court Thursday, Stone made several posts on Instagram about his legal fight.

Tweet

Tweet

Earlier in the day, the liberal advocacy group Media Matters noted that Stone and Alex Jones, who operates the right-wing conspiracy site InfoWars, had appeared in a Dec. 19 video posted on Jones' YouTube channel showing the two men visiting a shooting range.

The video is entitled, "Roger Stone Prepares For Civil War After Trump Is Removed From Office: LIVE AUTO GUNFIRE."

Let's block ads! (Why?)

from Top News & Analysis https://ift.tt/2VdILfH
via IFTTT