14 DAY TRIAL // The US government’s case against the 32-year-old activist Barrett Brown is far from being over. There are numerous accusations brought by prosecutors against Brown, including the fact that he conspired with Anonymous to overthrow the government.
Brown is accused of distributing data stolen by hackers from the systems of Stratfor, threatening an FBI agent, and concealing evidence during a raid on his apartment.
In January 31, 2014, the defense filed a motion to dismiss one of the three indictments, arguing that the prosecution wanted to “punish Mr. Brown for his speech” by accusing him of threatening FBI Special Agent-in-Charge Robert Smith.
“Robert Smith's life is over. And when I say his life is over I don't say I'm gonna go kill him, but I am gonna ruin his life and look into his [expletive] kids,” Brown said in the YouTube video that led to him being charged with threatening Smith.
Brown’s attorneys noted that “no reasonable jury could find the alleged statements to constitute a true threat.”
The defense says the prosecution knows it can’t convict the activist for his speech so they’re trying to link him to Anonymous. Furthermore, the defense argues that there’s no evidence to suggest that Anonymous “was a violent group or partook in violent activities.”
While Brown was named many times a self-proclaimed spokesperson for Anonymous, in a statement published shortly after being imprisoned, he denied having anything to do with the hacktivist movement.
“I am not and never have been the spokesman for Anonymous, nor its ‘public face’ or, worse, ‘self-proclaimed’ ‘face’ or ‘spokesperson’ or ‘leader’,” Brown said.
The government responded to the defense’s motion to dismiss on February 14. The response is sealed, but the motion for leave to reply to government’s response filed by the defense on February 21 reveals that Brown and Anonymous “secretly plotted the overthrow of the government.”
As RT highlights, this accusation most likely stems from a tweet posted by Brown on September 6, 2012, which read: “Kids! Overthrow the US government lol.” The message also contained a link to a YouTube video of Rapture by the band Blondie.
Another tweet referenced by the prosecution urges Brown’s followers to learn to shoot and stock up ammo.
The government believes these tweets are evidence that Brown intended to harm Agent Smith and possibly even tried to get members of Anonymous to help him.
Barrett Brown’s trial starts in May.