WASHINGTON (AP) — A man who flew a gyrocopter through some of America’s most restricted airspace before landing at the U.S. Capitol says he’s rejected a plea offer in the case that would have involved several years in prison.
Douglas Hughes attended a status hearing Monday in federal court in Washington. He said in a telephone interview before the hearing that he had rejected an offer that included significant jail time because it didn’t seem just for an act of civil disobedience in which no one got hurt. Hughes has said his April 15 flight in the bare-bones aircraft was intended to call attention to the influence of big money in politics.
Hughes says it’s now more likely that his case will go to trial. Another hearing is set for July 22.
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Exactly. Guidelined, even blinder justice is no justice. This man continues to prove his bravery.
Several years in prison? I have some serious doubts about what was actually proposed. Was he going to plea to a 2 or 3 year sentence that was stayed? or did the plea call for actual time to serve? It seems insane that he would actually serve time when people get local time or probation for things that actually harm people (DWI, assault, child neglect, etc.)
However, if this is true, then WTF, talk about serious lack of prosecutorial discretion. How about some probation and a “don’t do this again.”
Last night I was watching Olympus Has Fallen on TV with some terrorists taking over the White House, showing how muscular defense systems are at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. Automated missile launchers rising from roof-top bunker, and then I imagined this lone guy puttering in on his gyrocopter…
I hope that some deep-pocket liberals will fund his legal defense. I also hope that he wears a “Bernie 2016” shirt every day in court.
Can’t imagine a jury of 12 finding this guy guilty of anything other than sending a wake-up call to Congress and alerting authorities on how weak the security in Washington is. Inocent on all criminal charges. Our modern Paul Revere.