Libertarian activist Adam Kokesh is in jail for a second night in Washington D.C. Tuesday. He was arrested Monday as he began a “War is for Losers” protest in front of the White House.
Officers approached Kokesh as soon as he began protesting and speaking to people outside the White House. He was detained “on suspicion of being Adam Kokesh” and it was later clarified that they facially ID’ed him and believe he has an outstanding warrant for failure to appear in Maryland for a case relating to behavior in a TSA checkpoint in 2015. He was taken to DC central booking.
Kokesh says the warrant stems from an issue he had with TSA in Maryland in late 2015, but a letter states that it was resolved with a warning.
“I am under duress by the government,” Adam Tells the Court
News2Share was in court as Kokesh went before a judge.
See live video update #1 below:
Heather Mullins, a friend of Kokesh’s and a co-host at Free Talk Live, presented the public defender with a letter from the TSA stating that they no longer wish to press charges and were formally warning him about his conduct instead. When Kokesh first appeared before a judge, the attorney informed the court that it needed time and wished for his case to be passed over.
Letter from TSA
When Mr. Kokesh returned later in the day, his defense presented the letter to the court. The government argued that the letter was insignificant given that Maryland, not the TSA, has jurisdiction over the case.
“It was an honest mistake on Mr Kokesh’s part,” said the defense, who wished for him to be released on an unsecured bond to voluntarily report to Maryland to sort the matter out.
The prosecution shot back that “Based on prior gun conviction and a warrant for failure to appear, we request that he be held pending a $10,000 secured bond.”
Declining to pay the bond, the defense asked that Mr. Kokesh be allowed to waive his right to an extradition hearing, where he would be given a chance to argue that The District of Columba should not send him to Maryland. By waiving this right, he would expedite the process.
When asked whether the defender’s information was accurate, Kokesh clarified that it “was a mistake on the part of Anne Arundel County to issue this warrant in the first place.”
The judge clarified that it wasn’t his court’s duty to deal with an objection of that kind. The judge clarified that the offense was extraditable and asked regarding his waiving of the extradition hearing “has forced you, coerced you or threatened you to make that decision.”
“Yes,” Adam said.
“So you have been forced to make this decision?”
“Yes, your honor, I’m under duress of the government.”
Adam later agreed to say that he was not coerced “under that particular decision” and was returned to holding.
The State of Maryland has three days to pick Mr. Kokesh up for extradition. News2Share will continue to post breaking updates.
See live video update #2 below:
