Hal and his son leave the courthouse after a second mistrial is declared. The judge scheduled the next trial to begin on April 12th and cautioned Hal not to speak to the media. A public defender was also appointed since Turner had declared bankruptcy. (Photo from Carmine Glasso @ NorthJersey.com)According to news accounts, Hal Turner was taken to the hospital this morning while experiencing chest pains. He was reportedly treated for a "chest infection" and released. The jury in his retrail is in its' third day of deliberations. MORE HERE:
ACCORDING TO NORTH JERSEY.COM THE JURY DEADLOCKED.
Gag Order or Not, You’re Fired
By A. G. SULZBERGER
4:51 p.m.
Updated With the testimony over and closing arguments done, it would seem that Harold C. Turner would have little to do except wait for a federal jury to decide whether he was guilty of threatening the lives of three appellate court judges.
But Mr. Turner, an incendiary radio host on the Internet, is not known for quiet reflection — even with a court-imposed gag order.
As the jury was deliberating Tuesday morning, Mr. Turner unexpectedly announced the firing of his lawyers. The decision, which will go into effect after the resolution of the case, was announced without further explanation in United States District Court in Brooklyn.
In the hallway outside the courtroom, Mr. Turner put his hands in the air and said he could not comment, citing the gag order imposed. “I cannot communicate with the media,” he said. “It’s not you and they’re not fired.”
However his two lawyers — Nishay K. Sanan and Michael A. Orozco — confirmed that they received a letter early Tuesday morning in which Mr. Turner announced his intention to part ways. The lawyers have represented him since shortly after his arrest last summer, but Mr. Turner cited his desire to have fresh eyes on the case.
“Win, lose or draw, we’re done,” Mr. Sanan said.
This is the second trial of Mr. Turner on charges stemming from writing an explosive blog post on his Web site, in which he posted the photos of three judges with the United States Court of Appeals in Chicago. The judges had upheld a law banning handguns, and Mr. Turner wrote, among other things, that they were “worthy of death.” He faces up to 10 years if convicted.
The case was moved from Chicago so that Mr. Turner would not face trial in the same building where the three judges work. The first trial ended in a hung jury.
In the late afternoon on Tuesday, jurors sent Judge Donald E. Walter a note advising that they were “unable to come to an agreement and are convinced that we will not ever be able to make a unanimous decision.”
Judge Walker told the jury to continue deliberations. Defense attorneys for Mr. Turner moved for a mistrial.
About an hour later, jurors sent a second note saying the group was “confident we will not align on a decision” by 5 p.m., and asked to be discharged and return on Wednesday to continue deliberations.
During closing arguments on Monday, Mr. Sanan sought to portray Mr. Turner, who had worked as a confidential informant for the F.B.I., as someone who had followed the instructions of his handlers to help the government gather information about white supremacist groups, who comprised the core of his audience.
Dismissing the prosecutors’ depiction of Mr. Turner as a dangerous purveyor of violent and vehemently racist rhetoric who finally crossed the line with his comments about the judges, Mr. Sanan described Mr. Turner as a radio shock jock like Don Imus or Howard Stern. “To give your opinion is not a crime; to give it vehemently is not a crime,” he said.
Mr. Sanan, who is of Indian descent, and Mr. Orozco, who is of Puerto Rican descent, said that race did not play a role in their dismissal. “He is not a racist,” said Mr. Orozco.
I'd say that Hal was faking another heart attack but anyone who looks at Hal can see that he is a walking example of looming heart failure. Then again, we all know about fake heart attacks and Hal Turner.
ReplyDeleteThe problem is, real or fake, that such antics don't work in the real world. A jury isn't a lot of disfunctionals sitting there listening to you with their checkbooks out. Having chest pains isn't going to make people feel sorry for you and influence them one way or another. Problem is, 50% of the movement either doesn't reside in the real world or goes out of their way to avoid it.
But sooner or later reality has to come and collect rent. Hal's defense was more or less that he was playing secret agent man in his little fantasy world. Yeah, fine but how many times has the antics of the loonies spilled over into real life and cost money, jobs, fortunes, freedoms and even lives? No matter how fun the game is, it's not free to play. Someone like Hal felt free to play it anyway he chose too. He wasn't playing by the same rules as everyone else, true, but there was more. He wasn't play with his money or livelihood. There was no job to secure or family that he cared about protecting. It was all just fun and games until it apparently got old to somebody.
In fairness, we all live in our own little world that we create for ourselves. Few of us see ourselves as others really see us. We all toss rugs over the big stains on our floor caused by unpleasent realistic facts. Don't worry, white community, the powers that be do the same thing. It takes robbing armored cars and shooting talk show host to remind them of how things are, for example. There will always be those at the core of things, grounded in reality, living on a bread and water diet of realism, action and consequence.
Fake And him being released so quickly proves it.
ReplyDeleteA very stressful event.....getting fucked up the ass by the federal government without lube......An event that could easily make a person die from the intense stress of fighting a Goliath with unlimited funds from the American Tax Payer..... And knowing that if you don't beat the monster you will suffer in the prison system where 1% of the entire population resides.
ReplyDeleteMy gut feeling. There won't be a 3rd trial. I think either the government will drop it's case or a plea bargain is coming up.
ReplyDeleteFuck Hal Turner, he belongs in a cell right along side Bill White. That way the niggers will be able to come to one place for sex.
ReplyDeleteThey should just give up on Little Hal on these charges. And the government has given the Little Prick exactly what he's been wanting, lots of attention and sympathy now.
ReplyDeleteA lot of these types will support Turner just because he's seen as a anti-government hero now.
I forgot, money is what he really wants, attention is 2nd.
But like I said, if the feds really want Little Hal and did their homework, they could nail him on Felony Income Tax evasion.
I think that is what they will go after him on next. That an lying on his bankruptcy. One way or another they will get their man. LOL.
ReplyDeleteI really don't care, as long as the federal government is making Hal Turner miserable I am happy. The longer they keep it up on the fat sorry fucker, the happier I am.
ReplyDeleteLike I've said before, 20 years ago and Hal is having to do into witness protection.... Remember Glenn Miller having to do it for 15 years?
ReplyDeleteToday with the white supremacist movement being mostly internet commandos and the larger groups gone, Hal and his family have nothing to fear.
Way to go Govt.
ReplyDeleteAnother monster you created and couldnt control.
Instead of catching these racist morons and putting them in jail, you created 50 more with his antics!
Now your going to try him a third time?
Please stop and save yourself from further embarrassment!!!
"""Anonymous said...Way to go Govt.
ReplyDeleteAnother monster you created and couldnt control.
Instead of catching these racist morons and putting them in jail, you created 50 more with his antics!"""
LOL, but I bet they have created more than 50 through Hal. But that is where they get their paychecks and continued ability to ask for more tax payer funds.
Bro. Hal will be a walking free man before long. Hang in there Hal.
ReplyDelete