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Trump ally Roger Stone sentenced to prison Roger Stone: 'Disgusted' judge jails Trump ally
(about 1 hour later)
Roger Stone, long-time adviser and ally to President Donald Trump, has been sentenced to 40 months in jail. Roger Stone, a long-time adviser and ally to US President Donald Trump, has been sentenced to 40 months in jail.
Stone, 67, was found guilty in November on seven counts of lying to Congress, obstruction and witness tampering.Stone, 67, was found guilty in November on seven counts of lying to Congress, obstruction and witness tampering.
He is the sixth Trump aide convicted in a criminal case resulting from Robert Mueller's investigation into alleged collusion between Russia and the Trump campaign during the 2016 election. Mr Trump responded by saying he would love to see Stone exonerated.
Mr Trump has hinted he may pardon his ally. Stone is the sixth Trump aide convicted in a criminal case resulting from a justice department investigation that detailed Russian attempts to boost Mr Trump during the 2016 election.
Stone has maintained the case against him was politically motivated. What was Stone convicted of?
Explaining the sentence, Judge Amy Berman Jackson said Stone had engaged in "intolerable" "threatening and intimidating conduct" toward her. Stone was found guilty of lying to the House Intelligence Committee about his attempts to contact Wikileaks, the website that released damaging emails about Mr Trump's 2016 Democratic election rival Hillary Clinton.
Last week, prosecutors on the case quit after the Justice Department said it planned to reduce the amount of prison time sought for the president's long-time ally. US intelligence officials have concluded the messages were stolen by Russian hackers.
The prosecutors had recommended a sentence of seven to nine years. Stone will serve two years' probation after his custodial sentence. He has also been fined $20,000 (£15,500) and must serve 250 hours of community service.
In a tweet, Mr Trump had called the recommendation "very horrible and unfair". He will not have to report to prison until the judge rules on a pending defence appeal.
The court heard that Stone had told five lies under oath, including about his conversations with Trump campaign officials and a supposed "intermediary" with WikiLeaks in early August 2016. Stone's sentence fell short of an initial seven- to nine-year recommendation from prosecutors.
He also lied about the existence of certain texts or emails. What did the judge say?
Speaking in a Washington courtroom on Thursday, Judge Jackson said Stone "knew exactly what he was doing" when he posted an image to social media last year of a gun sight over the judge, calling the proceedings a "show trial". Speaking in her Washington DC court on Thursday, Judge Amy Berman Jackson said Stone had engaged in "threatening and intimidating conduct" towards her.
"This is intolerable to the rule of justice," Judge Jackson said. "The court cannot just sit idly by and say 'that's just Roger being Roger.'" She said Stone "knew exactly what he was doing" when he posted an image on social media last year of a gun's crosshairs next to her head.
Stone told the court that he thought the crosshairs in the picture he posted of Judge Jackson on Monday actually depicted a Celtic cross. Stone had claimed he thought the crosshairs were a Celtic cross.
"I am kicking myself over my own stupidity but not more than my wife is kicking me," he said. "This is intolerable to the rule of justice," she said. "The court cannot just sit idly by and say 'that's just Roger being Roger.'"
Stone, wearing sunglasses and a dark fedora, declined to speak at Thursday's hearing. Judge Jackson also said Stone "was not prosecuted for standing up for the president, he was prosecuted for covering up for the president".
His lawyer, Seth Ginsberg, said Stone's public persona - that of a self-described "dirty trickster" - masked the true "human being", a spiritual man, devoted to his family.
Mr Ginsberg had argued that Stone did not deserve the tougher sentencing guidelines demanded by federal guidelines.
Stone will serve two years' probation after his custodial sentence. He has also been fined $20,000 (£15,500) and must serve 250 hours of community service. He will not have to report to prison until Judge Jackson rules on a pending defence motion for a new trial, based on a claim of juror bias.
As Judge Jackson handed down the sentence, she seemed to allude to Mr Trump, saying Stone "was not prosecuted for standing up for the president, he was prosecuted for covering up for the president".
She continued: "The dismay and disgust at the defendant's belligerence should transcend party."She continued: "The dismay and disgust at the defendant's belligerence should transcend party."
"At his core, Mr. Stone is an insecure person who craves and recklessly pursues attention." "At his core, Mr Stone is an insecure person who craves and recklessly pursues attention."
Entering the courthouse flanked by his wife, family and friends, Stone walked past several protesters, including one giant inflatable rat dressed as Mr Trump, another demonstrator shouting "traitor". She said the politics surrounding the case did not inform her ultimate decision.
Awaiting Stone's sentencing, Mr Trump sent a tweet that seemed to question his ally's conviction and name-checking a host of perceived enemies.
The sentence delivered by Judge Jackson falls short of the seven- to nine-year recommendation from prosecutors.
This initial sentencing suggestion was quickly overruled by the US Department of Justice after Mr Trump's public complaints. This reversal led all four prosecutors to quit the case, one leaving the justice department entirely.
At trial on Thursday, Judge Jackson called the Justice Department intervention "unprecedented". But she said the politics surrounding the case did not inform her ultimate decision.
"The truth still exists. The truth still matters," she said."The truth still exists. The truth still matters," she said.
Stone, a political veteran, has worked with Republicans since the 1970s and has a tattoo of Richard Nixon on his back. What politics was the judge referring to?
After prosecutors last week recommended a sentence of seven to nine years, Mr Trump tweeted that such a prison term would be "very horrible and unfair".
The Department of Justice then swiftly said it planned to reduce the amount of prison time sought for Stone.
This led all four prosecutors on the case to quit, one leaving the justice department entirely.
On Thursday, Judge Jackson called the justice department intervention "unprecedented".
What did Stone's lawyer say?
The defendant's attorney, Seth Ginsberg, said that despite his client's image as a "dirty trickster", he was a spiritual man, devoted to his family.
"Mr Stone is, in fact, not simply that public persona, but a human being," he said.
Mr Ginsberg had argued that Stone should get no prison time.
Stone declined to speak at Thursday's hearing. Wearing sunglasses and a dark fedora, he entered the courthouse flanked by his wife, family and friends.
He walked past several protesters, one of whom shouted "traitor".
How did President Trump respond?
Speaking in Las Vegas, Nevada, after the sentencing, the Republican president defended Stone.
He indicated no immediate plans to pardon Stone, but said "at some point I'm going to make a determination".
Mr Trump said: "I'd love to see Roger exonerated, and I'd love to see it happen because I personally think he was treated very unfairly."
"It is my strong opinion that the forewoman of the jury is totally tainted," Mr Trump also said. "She was an anti-Trump activist."
Awaiting Stone's sentencing, Mr Trump sent a tweet that seemed to question his ally's conviction while listing a host of perceived enemies.
What does Trump mean by a 'tainted' jury?
Mr Trump was apparently referring to Tomeka Hart, a former Democratic congressional candidate originally from Tennessee who has publicly identified herself as a jury forewoman.
One of her fellow jurors has denied bias played any part in the guilty verdict for Stone.
Stone plans an appeal on the basis of supposed juror bias.
Who is Roger Stone?
Stone has worked with Republicans since the 1970s and has a tattoo of Richard Nixon on his back.
In the 1990s, Stone worked as a lobbyist for Mr Trump's casino business, and later helped Mr Trump's unsuccessful White House run in 2000.In the 1990s, Stone worked as a lobbyist for Mr Trump's casino business, and later helped Mr Trump's unsuccessful White House run in 2000.
According to the Netflix documentary Get Me Roger Stone, the strategist reportedly encouraged Mr Trump to run for the presidency. According to the Netflix documentary Get Me Roger Stone, the strategist reportedly encouraged Mr Trump to run for the presidency again.
Stone declined questions as he left the courthouse on Thursday, making his way through a crowd of people to a waiting vehicle, with a small smile on his face.
"I have nothing to say," he said.