XPost: soc.culture.usa, alt.politics.usa, talk.politics.theory
XPost: soc.rights.human, alt.politics.usa.misc
From: Intelligent@savetheworldmsn.com

On 11/20/2021 12:43 AM, Intelligent Party wrote:
> On 11/19/2021 10:10 PM, Anthony Soprano wrote:
>>  MIAMI.CBSLOCAL.COM
>> Florida Man Daniel Baker Found Guilty In State Capitol Plot
>> CBSMiami.com Team
>>
>> TALLAHASSEE (CBSMiami/NSF) – A Tallahassee man who was arrested in
>> January for plotting to violently confront would-be protesters at the
>> Florida Capitol was found guilty Thursday on federal charges.
>>
>> Daniel Baker, who made online posts about confronting supporters of
>> former President Donald Trump during an expected protest at the state
>> Capitol, was convicted on two counts of sending, in interstate
>> commerce, a true threat to kidnap or injure.
>>
>> READ MORE: Bad Weather Can Mean Bad News For Miami Water & Sewer
>>
>> During a trial that lasted about two and a half days, Baker's defense
>> argued that the series of social media posts that led to his arrest
>> were "jokes." Federal prosecutors set out to prove that "inflammatory
>> rhetoric" Baker posted online constituted a true threat.
>>
>> Ultimately, the 12-person jury returned a guilty verdict after roughly
>> four hours of deliberation.
>>
>> The case centered largely on the content of a flyer that Baker posted
>> to Facebook and other social media sites in January, issuing a "call
>> to arms" for others to join him and "encircle terrorists who attack
>> the Capitol" on President Joe Biden's inauguration day.
>>
>> The FBI had been aware of Baker's social media threats since October,
>> according to court documents.
>>
>> The posts were made amid heightened security at the state Capitol,
>> with Gov. Ron DeSantis mobilizing the Florida National Guard to assist
>> state and local law enforcement. But the anticipated protest by Trump
>> supporters never materialized.
>>
>> Repeatedly describing himself as a "leftist," Baker testified this
>> week that he was attempting to "inspire the community to defend
>> itself, to defend the (Florida) Capitol" and the country after Trump
>> supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6.
>>
>> "This is an armed COUP and can only be stopped by an armed community!
>> If you're afraid to die fighting the enemy, stay in bed and live," the
>> flyer said in part.
>>
>> Randolph Murrell, Baker's public defender, described Baker's posts as
>> reckless and careless but argued that Baker thought what he was doing
>> was legal and that he wasn't being serious.
>>
>> "A lot of these were jokes, a lot of these were clearly over the top,"
>> Murrell said in his closing argument.
>>
>> Baker, when questioned by Murrell while testifying, said his posts
>> were "almost exclusively jokes," aimed at depicting an "ironic parody
>> of a left-wing caricature."
>>
>> Baker testified that his posts were not aimed at threatening potential
>> right-wing protesters because his Facebook profile was set to private
>> and he was only communicating with other "leftists" who he had
>> "screened."
>>
>> READ MORE: University Of Miami Law Students Help Exonerate Wrongfully
>> Convicted Florida Man
>>
>> The defense also attempted to downplay prosecutors' argument that
>> Baker was actively recruiting people to join him in taking up arms
>> against would-be protesters,
>>
>> But the prosecution countered by arguing that a publicly viewable
>> Facebook event that Baker created, titled "DEFEND TALLAHASSEE," could
>> reasonably be seen as a threat.


How is it we don't have a right to self-defense?  This shit is so stupid!


>> Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen Kunz pointed to Baker's prior military
>> training and knowledge of weapons in arguing that Baker "had a means
>> to carry out his threats."
>>
>> Baker served in the military for roughly a year until 2007, before
>> receiving an "other-than-honorable" discharge, according to
>> information published by the U.S. Attorney's Office in January. After
>> being discharged, Baker joined a group fighting in Syria against ISIS
>> and the Turkish government.
>>
>> Prosecutors displayed social-media messages sent by Baker, in which he
>> claimed to have killed 16 people during his time fighting in Syria.
>>
>> "I made that up. I was just talking big," Baker said when questioned
>> about the claim.
>>
>> Murrell repeatedly cited Baker's small stature, at 5 feet, 3 inches
>> tall and about 130 pounds, saying Baker suffered bullying growing up
>> and that he "talks tough to offset his size disadvantage."
>>
>> But Assistant U.S. Attorney Lazaro Fields said Baker "knew exactly
>> what he was doing because he knew his capabilities."
>>
>> Baker appeared to show no emotion following the guilty verdict
>> Thursday. Murrell and friends of Baker who testified in his defense
>> declined to comment on the verdict outside of the federal courthouse.
>>
>> U.S. District Judge Allen Winsor set a sentencing hearing for Baker on
>> Aug. 16. Court officials said in January that Baker faced a maximum of
>> five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
>>
>> When asked Thursday what penalty Baker could face following the trial,
>> Murrell said he hadn't "figured that out yet."
>>
>> MORE NEWS: Online Threats Continue At South Florida Schools, Campaign
>> Hopes To Make Students Think Twice Before Posting
>>
>> Copyright 2021 CBS Local Media. All rights reserved. This material may
>> not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The News
>> Service of Florida's Ryan Dailey contributed to this report.)
>
>
> If you rape my daughter I'll kill you.  Threatening to defend people against
crime
> is not crime.  It's freedom of speech, and the people persecuting this man
are
> guilty for perpetration under color of law.  The government should walk
softly and
> carry a big stick.  It should not get away with such kinds of evil.  The
charges
> are crime in my mind, and always will be.  The government's punishments will
> convince of nothing but that it is more guilty and criminal.  Everything he
said
> is semantics and you don't know what he said.
>
> Advocating crime is 100% legal if it is not imminent lawless action under the
> Brandenburg test.  We demand this man receive $10,000 for every day
incarcerated,
> and $1,000 for every day since the deceitful wrongful charges were filed. 
And the
> 1st Amendment does not say except for threats, it says NO LAW!
>
> WE CONDEMN THE GOVERNMENT, WE CONDEMN THE COURTS, AND IF YOU COME HERE TO
ARREST

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