Oath Keeper’s lawyer ends up in shouting match with judge 10 days before seditious conspiracy trial: report

An attorney for an Oath Keeper charged with seditious conspiracy ended up in a shouting match with a federal judge as a hearing went off the rails on Wednesday.

"A conversation between a federal judge and a lawyer for one of the Oath Keepers charged with seditious conspiracy ended in a screaming match on Wednesday, when the lawyer suggested she would argue at trial that her client deleted evidence after the riot because he was directed to by another lawyer," CNN reported. "Juli Haller, who represents Oath Keeper Kelly Meggs, told US District Judge Amit Mehta that she was exploring whether to argue that the Oath Keepers general counsel, Kellye SoRelle, instructed Meggs to delete text messages from his phone after the riot."

Meggs has pleaded not guilty for deleting the evidence.

“How is it today, 10 days before trial, I’m first being told you might advance an advice-of-counsel-defense?" Mehta shouted.

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The judge had little patience for Haller's contention she only learned about the SoRelle angle two weeks ago.

"SoRelle faces charges including obstruction of an official proceeding and obstructing justice by telling others to delete information from their phones. She has pleaded not guilty," CNN reported. "Mehta said that the allegation itself SoRelle suggested others should delete messages was not new. 'I read it in the newspaper months ago,' Mehta shouted at Haller, adding 'I’m not buying it' and that 'it was in the indictment.'"

CNN reported, "Mehta eventually told Haller to sit down, but she did not. Another lawyer suggested a break in the hearing, to which Mehta shouted 'no.'"

Read the full report.