Federal judge restricts internet use for Kentucky man charged in U.S. Capitol riot
A Kentucky man accused of participating in the riot at the U.S. Capitol can’t post about it or the U.S. government online.
Damon Michael Beckley, who was arrested by the FBI in Cub Run last week, was released on a conditional bond, which barred him from using the internet to post about the rally or “the matters related to the U.S. government,” according to court records. He was also prohibited from attending any rallies, protests or demonstrations.
The order presumably bans Beckley from criticizing or threatening the government online.
The judge ordered him to not enter any state or federal property “except for court or vehicular registration purposes,” according to court records. The order was signed by Judge H. Brent Brennenstuhl and filed on Wednesday.
The judge added restrictions after initially barring Beckley from any Capitol grounds, not all state and federal properties.
The change was made because “questions arose regarding some additional conditions that needed to be placed upon defendant that were not discussed at the initial appearance,” Brennenstuhl wrote in his order.
The judge also said Beckley had to be monitored by GPS.
Beckley has been charged with unlawful entry of a restricted building and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds, according to the FBI. He was filmed at the Capitol on Jan. 6, saying, “we aren’t putting up with this tyrannical rule. If we’ve got to come back here and start a revolution and take all of these traitors down, which is what should be done, then we will.”
Beckley was later tracked down by Louisville news station WDRB. He told the station that he deleted his Facebook account and removed the SIM card from his phone so that the FBI wouldn’t find him. He was arrested two days later.
Beckley’s court case is scheduled to go back to Washington, D.C., next week. He’ll appear in D.C. federal court Wednesday afternoon, according to court records.
Other Kentucky residents charged in the riot face atypical constraints. Gracyn Courtright, a University of Kentucky student, can only travel to D.C. and West Virginia for court appearances and Kentucky for college classes, according to court records.
Robert L. Bauer was ordered not to attend or participate in any public rallies or protests as a condition of his release, according to court records. He was also barred from entering any state or federal Capitol grounds.
This story was originally published January 22, 2021 at 8:18 AM.