The airman from Massachusetts who has been accused of leaking highly classified U.S. intelligence documents is seeking release from pretrial detention under the "least restrictive conditions." He claims that the government's "exaggerated assessments" are baseless and that he poses no risk of flight or obstruction of justice in his case.
Teixeira
On Thursday at 1 p.m. in Worcester, Massachusetts, Jack Teixeira, a 21-year-old member of the Massachusetts Air National Guard, will appear at a detention hearing before federal magistrate judge David Hennessy to determine if he should remain in federal custody until his trial.
Teixeira's defense attorney filed a new document arguing that if the magistrate judge finds that he poses a flight or obstruction risk, he should still be allowed to remain out of pretrial detention under the supervision of his father or be confined to his home with the presence of his father, mother, stepfather, Air Force personnel, or legal counsel.
According to Teixeira's attorney, Allen Franco, there are several restrictions that could be placed on Teixeira, such as location monitoring, internet access prohibition, and a ban on contacting any potential witnesses in the case. Additionally, he could post bail that would be secured by both his parents' homes.
The new document also contested the notion that Teixeira is a flight risk by citing an instance where he became aware of his impending arrest and waited for law enforcement to arrive, sitting on his mother's porch while reading a Bible.
Franco, Teixeira's attorney, also addressed the government's mention of Teixeira's suspension during his sophomore year in high school, which stemmed from accusations that he made violent and racist threats. According to Franco, the incident was thoroughly investigated at the time, and Teixeira was allowed to return to school after a few days, following a psychiatric evaluation. He also pointed out that the Air National Guard was aware of the incident and that Teixeira's top-secret security clearance was granted after a thorough vetting process.
Furthermore, Franco argued that there is no evidence that Teixeira intended for the information shared on the Discord server to be disseminated widely. He stated that the government has not alleged any intent on Teixeira's part to disrupt the geopolitical affairs of the United States, nor has it provided any reason to believe that Teixeira would commit any actions like those outlined in the complaint affidavit or the government's motion for detention.
On the other hand, federal prosecutors argued in a new filing on Wednesday that Teixeira poses a serious flight risk and could easily disseminate classified information and take refuge with a foreign adversary if released on bail. They also claimed that Teixeira took a series of obstructive steps to prevent investigators from understanding the scope of his actions and pointed to his possession of a "virtual arsenal of weapons" at residences owned by his parents as evidence that he poses a danger to the public.
Teixeira, a Dighton, Massachusetts native, has been charged with unauthorized retention and transmission of national defense information, as well as willful retention of classified documents, carrying a maximum of 15 years in prison. He has not yet entered a plea and was arrested by the FBI-Boston tactical team on April 13th.