Heller: Feds wrong to target, imprison Kokesh

Dick Heller outside the Supreme Court in Washington, March 18, 2008.

The winning plaintiff in the landmark gun rights Supreme Court decision Heller v. District of Columbia told Human Events peace activist Adam Kokesh was unjustly imprisoned for expressing his constitutional rights.

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“A non-violent man in a mere display of political theatrics did nothing different than what peaceful people do at other civil rights demonstrations,” said Richard Anthony “Dick” Heller, whose case put an end to Washington’s handgun ban and opened up the current era of gun right restoration across the states.

Anti-war activist and former talk show host, Adam C. Kokesh of Herndon, Va., published a 21-second YouTube video July 4 calling for an open carry march on Washington for July 4, 2014.  He is loading and cocking what appears to be a shotgun between the White House and Capitol building.

This launched a July 9 federal investigation which resulted in his arrest and detainment by law enforcement.

Heller said he attended the hearings at Superior Court for the District of Columbia to see how the judges’ rule in this matter. “We will determine whether we are a nation of laws that believes in the constitution or will the court’s ruling be a display of its infringement.”

The eight-year Marine veteran is a gun-control laws protester who is deserving of our support, said the private security officer, who guards federal buildings in the capital.  “He is a First Amendment political prisoner, being held without bail, for advocating for the Second Amendment.”

“When law enforcement disregards the Constitution, they disregard the law,” said Kokesh in an interview with Guns & Patriots in May.

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It was better to be protesting at Washington, than sitting home and pretending that our country is doing great, he said.

The people need to pay attention because the government is not doing their job, he said. “We welcome all citizens to sit and join us in opposition to a government that doesn’t follow the constitution.”

“Kokesh is being charged with the felony crime of carrying a shot gun outside of his house or business,” said Matthew P. Jones, spokesman for District of Columbia U.S Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr.

Pre-trial conference is scheduled for Oct. 7 and trial is expected to commence Oct. 24 before Associate Judge Patricia Broderick, he said.The court is considering a motion to reconsider bail filed by Kokesh, he said. “We have opposed the motion and expect a short form order from the judge.”

“There is also charges’ pending in Fairfax County General District Court for narcotics and firearms violations that is not being handled by the U.S. Attorney’s office,” he said.

Originally from New Mexico, Kokesh received national attention in 2007 for being an outspoken opponent of U.S. military intervention in Iraq.  The former Marine corporal is a veteran of the Iraq War and was awarded a Navy Commendation Medal and Combat Action Ribbon.

Producers at “Adam vs. The Man,” a daily news-commentary podcast featuring Kokesh, insist that while Kokesh is an outspoken anti-war activist, he has never promoted, nor incited violence.

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“I was there on July 9 when an army of police conducted a 6-hour raid of his home,” said Liz Delish, a producer of Adam vs. The Man.

She said the unconstitutional raid included a flash grenade, helicopters, body armor, lasers, and a military-style tank.

The amount of force used was outrageous and excessive, said Darrell Young, also a producer of the video program.

“The amount of money spent in this endeavor could have been better served feeding hungry children,” he said.

“We use peaceful, civil disobedience to point out the injustices of the government and its political subdivisions,” said Christopher C. Cantwell, who is co-hosting Adam vs. The Man while Kokesh is in jail.

When Kokesh was held without bail, the prosecution painted him as a very dangerous man, he said. “Adam is not dangerous, he is a peace activist.”

This is all in an attempt to silence him, he said.  “We will continue doing what we are doing, no matter what the government does.”

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