Roger Stone apologizes to court for Instagram post with apparent crosshairs near judge’s head
Roger Stone. Photo by Cornelius O’Donoghue/Shutterstock.
Updated: Political consultant Roger Stone has filed an apology with U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson after briefly posting an Instagram photo of her with what appeared to be a crosshairs in the background near her head.
Stone was indicted by special counsel Robert Mueller’s office last month for allegedly making false statements and trying to persuade a witness to provide false testimony. Jackson imposed a limited gag order in the case Friday, and Stone briefly posted the photo with a comment Monday, report the Washington Post, the Huffington Post, BuzzFeed News and Rolling Stone.
The gag order had barred Stone from making statements to the media near the courthouse in Washington. The court apology was filed later on Monday.
Stone posted the photo along with the hashtag #fixisin and this comment: “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 against Hillary Clinton and incarcerated Paul Manafort prior to his conviction for any crime.” Stone added an appeal for donations.
Stone told the Washington Post that the “random photo selected from the internet” had been posted by a volunteer, and it wasn’t intended as a threat or as conveying disrespect. What some thought to be a crosshairs in the background is actually the logo of the organization that posted the photo, Stone said.
Stone’s apology to the court read: “Please inform the court that the photograph and comment today was improper and should not have been posted. I had no intention of disrespecting the court and humbly apologize to the court for the transgression.”
Jackson ordered Stone to appear in court Thursday as a result of the picture, report Reuters, the National Law Journal and the Washington Post. Jackson said Stone should show cause why she shouldn’t revoke or change the limited gag order and his release conditions.
Updated at 12:05 p.m. to include Jackson’s decision to issue a show-cause order.
