In an asinine display of credulousness, a Texas federal judge named Jeffrey Cureton decided that committed insurrectionist and retired Air Force Lt. Col. Lawrence Brock could spend the next few weeks at home drinking Coronas and watching Netflix instead of cooling his heels in jail for his part in terrorizing U.S. government officials during the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol.
As reported by Forbes:
A federal judge released Larry Rendall Brock Jr.— a former Air Force officer who carried zip-ties on the Senate floor during last week’s Capitol insurrection—from custody Thursday, despite the fact the FBI said he was radicalized and spoke of committing violence, as concerns loom about another insurrection attempt during President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration.
Brock was famously photographed in full combat gear carrying zip ties on the Senate floor. According to the U.S. Attorney’s office, which argued for his continued imprisonment pending trial, Brock intended to take members of Congress hostage and possibly execute them.
Cureton’s magnanimous ruling, which allowed Brock to remain confined to his home with an ankle bracelet, came in spite of pre-detention arguments by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jay Weimer pointing out that Brock was an obvious danger to the public and that he had committed himself to acts of violence. This assertion was backed by the FBI as well.
From the CBS report:
"He means to take hostages. He means to kidnap, restrain, perhaps try, perhaps execute members of the U.S. government," Assistant U.S. Attorney Jay Weimer said of retired Lieutenant Colonel Larry Rendall Brock Jr. He did not provide specifics.
Cureton, evidently awed by Brock’s military background, all but stroked his hand as he broke the bad news that yes, Brock would have to stay home and be a good boy until his case came up on the magistrate’s busy docket. To firmly emphasize the seriousness of Brock’s transgression, Cureton granted Brock only “limited” internet access until his trial (presumably his access to porn sites and Amazon will not be impeded).
"I need to put you on a very short rope," Cureton said. "These are strange times for our country and the concerns raised by the government do not fall on deaf ears."