By Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Maxwell Book
SDNY COURT EXCLUSIVE, July 18 - In the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York on December 2, a detention or bond proceeding was held by Magistrate Judge Stewart D. Aaron on a man charged with selling guns to two men already in state custody for plans to "shoot up a synagogue," Christopher Brown, 21, and Matthew Mahrer, 22.
Presented in Federal court on December 2 was defendant / gun-seller Jamil Hakime, who works with detained youth at the NYC Administration for Children's Services. Inner City Press was present, the only media (and only non-involved person) there. Live-tweeted thread (more on Patreon here) vlog here
Jump cut to January 24, 2023: the case has been indicted, and wheeled out to Judge Analisa Torres. She held a proceeding, and Inner City Press attended. Discovery is ongoing; the AUSA said the phones of the two co-conspirators are being reviewed and Hakime will get some but not all of it.
The Federal Defender said the proposed protective order is disputed; he will abide by it while Judge Torres considers the issue.
On March 13, Judge Torres docketed an order that Hakime is set to change to plea - that is, to guilty - on March 14: "ORDER as to Jamil Hakime: The Court shall hold a change of plea hearing for Defendant Jamil Hakime on March 14, 2023 (Signed by Judge Analisa Torres on 3/13/2023)."
Inner City Press went to the charge of plea proceeding. The sentencing guideline agreed to is ten to sixteen months. Hakime described driving his co-conspirators to Pennsylvania to get the gun. The AUSA said the Pennsylvania house is co-owned by Hakime. There was not mention of what the gun was to be used for. Sentencing was set for July 18.
On July 14, the US Attorney's Office which agreed to the plea with the 10 to 16 month guideline wrote that "the Court should impose the statutory maximum sentence of five years imprisonment."
On July 17, Hamike's Federal Defender replied that Hakime didn't know the purpose that Brown had for the gun - and that Brown just "meant to be provocative." Cited in support is Hakime's partner Ms. Market; "their home in the Poconos is filled with Judaica," the Federal Defender writes, saying the crime is serious "without being further larded up by the Government."
Now, delay for clarification of lard: "ORDER as to Jamil Hakime: The Court has reviewed the presentence investigation report (PSR), as prepared on June 14, 2023, and revised on July 11, 2023, ECF No. 35, and the parties sentencing submissions dated July 6, 14, and 17, 2023, ECF Nos. 33, 3738. Accordingly, the Court shall hold an evidentiary hearing on September 19, 2023, at 2:00 p.m. to resolve these factual disputes. The parties shall submit a list of witnesses, and an estimate for how long each party will need to present testimony, by September 5, 2023. The sentencing scheduled for July 19, 2023, is ADJOURNED to October 3, 2023, at 3:00 p.m. (Signed by Judge Analisa Torres on 7/18/2023)."
Inner City Press will continue to cover the case.
Back from December 2, the thread.
The case is now US v. Hakime, 22-cr-699 (Torres)
Complaint on Inner City Press' Patreon here
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