Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

mahatmakanejeeves

(57,425 posts)
Wed Sep 18, 2019, 12:55 PM Sep 2019

Federal judge refuses to free white supremacists who attacked protesters at Charlottesville rally

The three Rise Above Movement members all asked to be released to their parents' custody in California while the appeal is pending.



Federal judge refuses to free white supremacists who attacked protesters at Charlottesville rally
BY MICHAEL KUNZELMAN The Associated Press 15 hrs ago

A federal judge on Tuesday refused to free members of a white supremacist group on bond while they appeal their convictions for attacking protesters at a white nationalist Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville two years ago. ... U.S. District Judge Norman Moon ruled that Rise Above Movement members Benjamin Daley, Michael Miselis and Thomas Gillen haven't adequately shown that releasing them from custody wouldn't pose a danger to others. ... All three men pleaded guilty to riot conspiracy charges stemming from violence at the Unite the Right rally in August 2017. In July, Moon sentenced them to prison terms ranging from 27 months to 37 months.

Prosecutors said the group members' hatred for Jews, blacks and feminists motivated them to attack counterprotesters. Daley, Miselis and Gillen flew from Los Angeles to Charlottesville on the eve of the rally and participated in a torch-lit march through the University of Virginia's campus, joining in chants such as "Blood and soil!" and "Jews will not replace us!"

Prosecutors also said the men engaged in other racist and anti-Semitic activity before the rally. They pointed to photographs of Rise Above Movement members gathering on a beach to burn books, including "The Diary of Anne Frank" and "Schindler's List," and disrupting a "white privilege" workshop in Santa Monica, Calif., sponsored by the Committee for Racial Justice.

A fourth member of the California-based group, Cole White, pleaded guilty to a riot conspiracy charge several months before the other three men. White, a California resident, has been free on bond since May while he awaits a sentencing hearing in November. ... Prosecutors didn't object to White's release, but they opposed the bond requests by Daley, Miselis and Gillen, who are appealing the constitutionality of a federal anti-riot law. Wednesday is the deadline for the three men's attorneys to file their opening briefs with the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

Daley, Miselis and Gillen all asked to be released to their parents' custody in California while the appeal is pending. ... Miselis has a master's degree in aerospace engineering and had "top-secret clearance" while working as an analyst for Northrop Grumman, running simulations of air-to-air and air-to-ground combat, according to his attorney. Moon said Miselis tried to characterize his acts of violence as the result of being caught up in "emotionally charged and turbulent political rallies."
....
7 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Federal judge refuses to free white supremacists who attacked protesters at Charlottesville rally (Original Post) mahatmakanejeeves Sep 2019 OP
Awww they just want to go home to Mommy underpants Sep 2019 #1
good on the judge AllaN01Bear Sep 2019 #2
He's been in jail for months so he's already lost all of that. brush Sep 2019 #4
Are we talking about adults or juveniles here? Why would an adult Arkansas Granny Sep 2019 #3
How disgusting...released to their parents' care? Ridiculous...they acted as adults so their... SWBTATTReg Sep 2019 #5
It's a lasts resort shot by them and lawyers to get out as there is plenty of video evidence... brush Sep 2019 #7
They are a Menace to Public Safety and Belong Behind Bars dlk Sep 2019 #6

AllaN01Bear

(18,187 posts)
2. good on the judge
Wed Sep 18, 2019, 01:04 PM
Sep 2019

sounds like the one who works for grunman needs to loose their " top security clearance and postion there.

SWBTATTReg

(22,114 posts)
5. How disgusting...released to their parents' care? Ridiculous...they acted as adults so their...
Wed Sep 18, 2019, 01:24 PM
Sep 2019

actions clearly qualify them as being adults and thus, need to be held to a higher standard than children, who rely on guardians to protect and keep them out of harms' way. These 3 nuts didn't, and probably ignored their parents' protestations to not go to these Nazi protests, had the parents known that their kids were going to this pathetic rally.

Too bad. They knew what they were doing was wrong. They alone screwed up their lives, no one else.

brush

(53,771 posts)
7. It's a lasts resort shot by them and lawyers to get out as there is plenty of video evidence...
Wed Sep 18, 2019, 01:37 PM
Sep 2019

against all of them. It didn't work. They're grown ass men and the judge is not stupid.

Latest Discussions»Region Forums»Virginia»Federal judge refuses to ...