Despite Apology, Stone Faces Jail After Instagram Post

Bail could be revoked over altered photo showing judge
By Bob Cronin,  Newser Staff
Posted Feb 19, 2019 1:56 PM CST
Despite Apology, Stone Faces Jail After Instagram Post
Roger Stone has to explain an Instagram post to a judge.   (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

Roger Stone has apologized for the Instagram post that appeared to show crosshairs near the head of the federal judge who is presiding over his prosecution, but now he has to answer for it. Judge Amy Berman Jackson has scheduled a hearing for Thursday, NBC News reports, and she could decide to send the longtime Trump confidant to jail. The judge issued a limited gag order last week, ordering Stone to quit talking to reporters at the Washington, DC, courthouse about his case. But she said Tuesday she wants to hear why that gag order and/or his bail "should not be modified or revoked in light of the posts on his Instagram account." Stone faces charges in special counsel Robert Mueller's Russia investigation including lying, obstruction, and witness tampering; he's been free on bail since his January arrest.

The Instagram post, which has since been deleted, was captioned, "Through legal trickery Deep State hitman Robert Mueller has guaranteed that my upcoming show trial is before Judge Amy Berman Jackson, an Obama appointed Judge who dismissed the Benghazi charges again Hillary Clinton and incarcerated Paul Manafort prior to his conviction for any crime . #fixisin Help me fight for my life at @StoneDefenseFund.com." Stone's apology for it was made in a court filing Monday. But the defendant was back on Instagram on Tuesday. He posted a photo of a book (a copy of the Zohar from the Kabbalah Centre) that a supporter sent him, per AP, and wrote that he prayed that the book "protects me from the fake news media who are smearing me and purposely misinterpreting everything I say." (More Roger Stone stories.)

Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X