US Tries Gag Order On Barrett Brown, Brown Cites Micheal Hastings During Defense

This is insane. Gag orders should be banned except in very limited situations where an ongoing investigation is occurring. Banning people from talking to the media about their own trial serves no purpose except limiting public knowledge of the trial. Because if people did know more about the Barrett Brown case, they would be outraged.

From the monolithic US government:<p>&quot;Defendant Barrett Lancaster Brown moved to continue trial and pretrial deadlines on July 31, 2013 explaining that more time is required in order to adequately prepare his defense in light of the ongoing forensic processing of the Electronic Stored Information (ESI) images. The government opposed on August 8, 2013, and, in its Opposition requested the Court issue a “Gag Order” to “[i]nstruct the parties to refrain from making any statement to members of any television, radio, newspaper, magazine, internet (including, but not limited to, bloggers), or other media organization about this case, other than matters of public record.’” GB at 12. For the reasons articulated in Points I and II, below, the Court should grant Mr. Brown’s continuance and deny the Government’s request.&quot;<p>The reasons &#x27;articulated&#x27; seem detached from Barrett himself, for those wanting to read further.<p>From Barrett:<p>&quot;For instance, the government states that “Brown’s friend confirmed in a statement to the press (posted on August 7, 2013) that lawyers had discussions with a specific media person to arrange an in-person interview with Brown in jail.” GB at 11 (¶27). Presumably, the “specific media person” referenced by the government is Michael Hastings, a journalist, friend and colleague of Mr. Brown who passed away on June 18, 2013 in Los Angeles California. Counsel does not dispute that Mr. Hastings, as with many other members of the media, contacted counsel seeking an in-person interview with Mr. Brown. To counsel’s knowledge, Mr. Hastings did not visit or conduct an in-person interview Mr. Brown before his death.&quot;<p>No hints of conspiracy, just the defendant pointing out he is not multiple persons at the same time so they should &#x27;articulate&#x27; something that deals with Barrett directly.