By Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon
BBC - Guardian UK - Honduras - ESPN
SDNY COURTHOUSE, Jan 22 – Jeffrey Sabol went to the U.S. Capitol on January 6 and the US says it was him dragging a police officer down the Capitol steps into a crowd in which the officer was beaten.
Then Sabol tried to buy a plane ticket from Logan Airport in Boston to Zurich, Switzerland - and he tried to kill himself. The Assistant US Attorney says attempted suicide was, like the plane ticket, an attempt to avoid responsibility.
On January 22 Sabol had a detention hearing before, and was detained by, U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York Magistrate Judge Andrew E. Krause.
Inner City Press which is covering #insurrectionBlues (Harvey song here) live tweeted the Sabol proceeding here:
Sabol did not fill out a financial affidavit. Federal Defender Jason Ser will represent him only for presentment, and says Sabol may not qualify, will retain his own counsel.
Judge: Mr. Sabol, if you are not a US citizen, you have the right to consular notification.
Sabol: I am a citizen of the US... I have a Bachelor's degree.
Judge: You are charged with obstruction of law enforcement in a civil disorder
Judge Krause: Preliminary hearing in 28 days, since the 30th day would be on a Sunday. Federal Defender: I don't anticipate any immediate plea and DDC won't consent, so Rule 20 is not an issue.
AUSA Benjamin Gianforti: The government is seeking detention. This may have started as a legitimate expression of First Amendment rights, albeit one seeking to overturn a legitimate election. But it quickly turned into an assault on law enforcement and elected officials. We have video.
AUSA: Mr Sabol was dragging a police officer down the stairs by the archway. Another man was beating the officer, ironically, with an American flag. Against this all we have are the defendant's self serving statements. He said he was enraged
AUSA: Mr. Sabol booked a flight from Logan Airport in Boston to Zurich, Switzerland. They don't extradite. Also, he has a residence in Colorado. He has the means to run away. He can afford his own counsel - so he may pose a flight risk [!]
AUSA: I'm sorry to bring this up, but Mr. Sabol's suicide attempts can be seen as from guilty. It's the ultimate flight attempt.
Judge Krause: I have considered the video. Please read the URL. AUSA: Video shows Capitol mob dragging police officer down stairs. One rioter beat the officer with a... Several people kicked the officer as he lay on the ground, and one man repeatedly bashed him with an American flag pole.
Defense lawyer: We offer a $200,000 bond. They have not charged assault. He works in oil and gas. He's a geo-physicist. He's lived in Colorado for 28 years, he's been with his current partner 8 1/2 years. The psychiatric center released him.
Federal Defender: His sister is in the military and lives in Georgia. He attended SUNY-Cortland. He is specialized in removing unexploded ordinances. He had a DWI, sure, but it was a while ago. Judge: Are you done? Do you have anything about the plane ticket?
Federal Defender: There could be home confinement. Judge: If that were sufficient, there would never be risk of flight. Federal Defender: There are suretors, for moral suasion. He could easily have driven to Canada, and he did not. He could have been worse.
AUSA: I disagree that home confinement and GPS would be enough. The ticket to Zurich and the suicide attempt demonstrate the extreme lengths he'd go to to escape these charges.
AUSA: If you are inclined to grant bail, we'll ask for a stay to appeal to DDC. If you don't grant a stay, we'll ask for a stay away from DC order. Judge Krause: No need for ancillary arguments. Anyone can appeal, my role is to make an initial determination.
Judge Krause: This is not a presumption case. But the government has met its burden, and Mr. Sabol will be detained.
Judge Krause: The video is disturbing. What we see if Mr. Sabol dragging a law enforcement officer down the steps of the Capitol, where the officer is assaulted. He says he was in a fit of rage. This is beyond the pale. This is shocking.
Judge Krause: I am struck that a person with a stable job would engage in this conduct. He has many things going for him in life, his financial means - none of that stopped him from this conduct. Whatever prompted him on Jan 6, still exists in our world
Judge Krause: The attempt to fly to Switzerland is significant, and undercut his claim of strong family ties supporting release. Mr. Sabol will be remanded to the custody of the AG; I order him removed to DDC. That won't happen immediately. AUSA: In weeks...
Judge Krause: I'll see an initial appearance before Magistrate Judge in DDC... The government will be in touch, once counsel is retained. Make that your top priority, Mr. Sabol. That's all. Adjourned
Inner City Press' John Earle Sullivan song on SoundCloud here.
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