By Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Song Doc
BBC - Guardian UK - Honduras - ESPN
FEDERAL COURT, Dec 14 – Eight days after in the US Capitol among other things Mark Leffingwell stuck a Capitol Police officer repeatedly with a closed fist (and was freed), Cleveland Grover Meredith who arrived a day late in DC with guns in his trailer was detained.
U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia Magistrate Judge G. Michael Harvey held the January 14 proceeding. Inner City Press live tweeted it, here and below.
Meredith was then indicted, including for the threat(s) against Nancy Pelosi, and the case assigned to Judge Amy Berman Jackson. Indictment (first one) online here.
On December 14, after pleading guilty, Meredith was up for sentencing before Judge Jackson, from 9:30 am past 1 pm. He got 28 months, minus the 11 months he has already serviced. Inner City Press live tweeted, here:
Assistant US Attorney: The way the case law is, Mr. Meredith did not even have to act on the threat, just make it. The government believe that over four days, Mr. Meredith accelerated his interest in engaging in violence and narrowed in on who to do it to.
Meredith's lawyer: The AUSA is mostly talking about my client's words... To show his mindset, he said, That's why they call me Double Oh Dipsh*t... Social media is chit-chat, not serious type language. This has to be taking into account.
Meredith's lawyer: He had these guns well before the threats; he did not get them close in time to what he said. The fact that he has the weapons is explained by 2 things. First, he is allowed to have them.
Judge Amy Berman Jackson: He wasn't in his home.
Meredith's lawyer: He was in Colorado but there wasn't any snow. So they did target practice. He feared there might be social unrest. The six-level enhancement is not merited.
Judge Amy Berman Jackson: The question is, What was the conduct? Weapons in the truck... He has 2,500 rounds of ammo. There is no requirement in the law that the guns be bought close in time to the threat, that's just one court's decision. This defendant wasn't home; he brought it here.
Meredith's lawyer says he is "making his record" on the prosecutors violating the plea agreement, in his view. This could take a while.
Judge Amy Berman Jackson is back, and in the run up to imposing sentence she is reading into the record Cleve Meredith's text message about Nancy Pelosi. She put the sentencing guideline, with enhancements, at 37 to 46 months. Drum-roll...
Judge Amy Berman Jackson asked Meredith to come back to the lectern. Here it comes: "it is the judgment of the court that you are hereby sentenced to 28 months, with credit for the time you are have already served."
Back in April, a superseding indictment on four counts: the threat to Pelosi, and three guns and ammo charges. Inner City Press has published the superseding indictment on its DocumentCloud, here.
On August 25, another status conference - Meredith was extended a plea offer, and Judge Berman set a November 29 trial date if not plea before then. Inner City Press live tweeted here and below.
Now on September 10 Meredith pleaded guilty. Put into the docket is the statement of offense, now on Inner City Press' DocumentCloud here. Meredith admits to the text(s) and to guns and ammo. He remains detained pending sentencing.
From August 25: Meredith's counsel: I received a plea offer on Friday, & reviewed it with Mr. Meredith yesterday. We will need more time to review it. The AUSA can perhaps explain why I didn't get it until Friday. Judge Amy Berman Jackson: Go ahead. AUSA: There were counter offers
AUSA: We had to satisfy our victim - witness requirements. Judge Berman: How much time do you need?
AUSA: We'd like September 7. Judge: Can't do it that day. But the 8th, 9th (I have a sentencing at 9:30)
Judge Amy Berman Jackson: So we'll get together on September 9 at 1 pm. And I'll set a trial date in November, November 29.
Judge Amy Berman Jackson: I don't think this trial would take too long... Let me know before September 9 if it would be a disposition that day, or just to tell me of a disposition. If there is one
On May 20, Judge Amy Berman Jackson denied Meredith's bid to be freed: "Before the Court is Defendant’s Motion to Revoke Magistrate Judge’s Order of Detention Pending Trial and to Set New Conditions of Release [Dkt. # 19]. For the reasons stated in the accompanying sealed Memorandum Opinion [Dkt. # 37], the Court finds that defendant is eligible for detention..."
Now on May 26, the decision has been partially unsealed (though still with many, many redactions) and concludes: "[REDACTED] This is a substantial risk the Court is not prepared to take, and the government has proved by clear and convincing evidence that it cannot be ameliorated by conditions of release. The motion to revoke the order of detention will be denied; a separate order will issue."
Back on March 16, his appeal of detention was set down for a hearing before Judge Jackson on March 26. Inner City Press wrote, "We will cover it" - but when it called in for the proceeding, there was nothing but on-hold music, no explanation. (Tweeted here).
Song on SoundCloud here.
***
Your support means a lot. As little as $5 a month helps keep us going and grants you access to exclusive bonus material on our Patreon page. Click here to become a patron.
