| Lemke
Charged With Rep Jeffries Threat Pleads
Guilty Days Before Oct 18 Trial
By Matthew
Russell Lee, Patreon
BBC
- Guardian
UK - Honduras
- ESPN
SDNY COURTHOUSE,
Oct 15– Robert Lemke was
charged with sending threats
to Congressman Hakeem
Jeffries. Now on October
15 he has pleaded guilty, see
below.
Back on
May 25, U.S. District Court
for the Southern District of
New York Judge Alvin K.
Hellerstein held a proceeding.
Inner City Press covered
it.
The issue
was when to hold Lemke's
trial. Judge Hellerstein
explained how courtrooms are
allocated amid COVID, and
suggested July 12, then July
15.
Lemke counter proposed June,
which would mean his Federal
Defender would not be
available. But he did not want
to wait longer.
Judge
Hellerstein said he has
another criminal proceeding
that he thinks will plead out.
He set another conference on
Lemke, to see that specific
day the trial can be.
On July 7, Judge
Hellerstein held a hybrid
conference in US v. Lemke, and
Inner City Press live tweeted
it, here:
There's a
superseding indictment.
Lemke says, "Mrs.
Jones, I plead not guilty."
Federal Defender:
I'm not sure we're going to
need a hearing for our
pre-trial motions. We'd like a
trial date.
Judge
Hellerstein: I'll have to rule
on your motions.
Judge
Hellerstein: I'd like to rule
on July 29.
AUSA: We
could file early if the Court
prefers. Judge
Hellerstein: Can you file by
July 22, if you need an
adjournment you can ask. There
are trial in August and I'd
like to get this done by then.
Motions by July 9.
Judge
Hellerstein: What does O.A.
mean? Ms. Jones: Oral
argument. Judge Hellerstein:
That one's civil, this will go
first. AUSA: We'd like a trial
date after Nov 1.
Judge
Hellerstein: How about Oct
18? FD: Lemke wants it
asap.
Lemke himself:
Can you comply with the Speedy
Trial Act?
Judge
Hellerstein: I am. Because of
the limitations on the court
and its rooms, I'll exclude
time. Trial is October 18 at
10 am.
FD: Mr Lemke
objects.
Judge
Hellerstein: Noted. We're
done.
Now on October
15, Lemke is done: "ROBERT
LEMKE pled guilty to making
threatening interstate
communications to a New York
City-based family member of a
journalist (the “Journalist”),
citing the Journalist’s
statements about the outcome
of the 2020 U.S. presidential
election. LEMKE pled guilty
today before U.S. District
Judge Alvin K.
Hellerstein. U.S.
Attorney Damian Williams
stated: “Robert Lemke was
frustrated with the result of
the 2020 Presidential
Election. Rather than
attempting to effect change
through legal discourse or any
of the other freedoms of
expression that all Americans
enjoy, he instead sent
threatening messages to the
family member of a journalist.
Inevitably, elections result
in frustrations for some –
that is part of the political
process – but trying to
instill fear in others by
threat will not be tolerated
by law enforcement.”
The case is US v.
Lemke, 21-cr-100 (Hellerstein)
***
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