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 1:21 AM, Intelligent Party wrote:   
   > On 11/20/2021 12:53 AM, Intelligent Party wrote:   
   >> 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   
      
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