RIch Paul aka “Nobody” is a Keene, New Hampshire based libertarian talk show host and recent GOP candidate for governor. Arrested March 2021 and charged with wire fraud/unlicensed money transmission. Still in jail seeking bail.
July 23 bail hearing raw notes by Dave Ridley from NHexit.com:
first lady on call is courtroom deputy
attorney chris brown rich’s attorney
attorney patrick richards
attorney anessa allen santos blond lady
“the defendant” not yet arrived
banter as though they were getting together for breakfast. all seemed to be friends
Rich has massive beard, doesn’t look great. Seems to be in fairly high spirits. People joined as “Nobody” in gesture of support.
The chat allowed joiners to post messages, so I posted this:
‘The “Dave” above is me… Dave Ridley
Why am I being forced to underwrite the incarceration of this nice man?’
Rich’s attorney said by chat to stop doing that, partly because the court might see it.
Judge said he didn’t want to be dismissive of Rich’s request for a new hearing, because Rich’s liberty was important issue… however he acknowleged that he had made statements in the past inidicating he didn’t see a reason to overrule previous denial of bail.
“I’m never going to be dismissive,” the judge said… of Rich’s uh…something-or-another
Cited rule 83 “Shall not photograph or broadcast” the proceedings plus other restrictions like no recording i think. But he said it was public. Judge had a good demeanor, by that I mean he seemed human and appropriate… not a soulless bureaucrat.
Judge acknowleged comments from the public and said they would not be held against Rich, who he almost always referred to as “Mr. Nobody.”
<< Someone played a call by rich which was made from the jail. Probably during his first week of incarceration. part of it had been played before…but someone wanted the whole thing to be played. but i can’t tell who he was talking to. during this march 2021 call He said he didn’t trust someone named Calvin who had something to do with his home. He said he needed an attorney who understood Bitcoin. He said “the church” had 42,000 to pay for an attorney . said he had a “piece of shit” attorney. Said that the attorney needed to “fucking die.” maybe he was talking about his initial public defender? In this part Rich made himself sound like a typical angry inmate. He kept denouncing “piece of shit banksters.” Frequent swearing, not under control. Said he was in solitary or something 23 hours a day. He said “somebody needs to start shooting pigs.”
Rich said his attorney told the boston globe he wouldn’t talk to the globe. But he wanted to talk to the Globe.
Rich didn’t know what town he was in until the person on the call told him. Jail cut off the call because Rich’s hour of “free time” was up. >>
After the call ended… Rich was called to testify…judge reminded him of his right to not speak and that he would face cross examination. Rich apologized for his language in the earlier call.
The call was apparently the main previous issue in keeping him jailed.
Some of the audio broke up during the zoom call. Rich said he was red-faced regarding the phone call. His attorney asked him if he had advocated for the “initiation” of violence agains the government. He said no. As usual with folks who have advocated violent revolution, it was a bunch of backpeddling once he was called out and facing punishment.
36 average people seemed to be on the call as of 45 minutes into the hearing. hearing lasted about 2.5 hours
“Joe Liberty” in the chat suggested seceession
Rich said something to the effect that he would rather be dead with America free… than alive with it in an authoritarian state. but that may have been during the march phone call.
Rich’s attorney, Brown , said that
Previous Judge Lynch had focused on the phone call as tipping him toward leaving Rich in jail. This Judge said he was not all that focused on the call; he said there are lots of phone calls like that in jail
“I’m trying to hear his call in context, as opposed to taking it at face value.”
Previous judge only heard excerpts of the call.
“It wasn’t a threat gramatically; it was a curse.” Said Rich.
Rich’s Attorney seemed to be making the case that Rich was initially under the impression that his legal situation was much more serious than it is.
Somewhere in here Rich’s drug convictions were brought up. And the fact that he did not have a violent crime conviction on his record.
Rich said that he was only allowed to make collect calls at a time when his earlier attorney would not accept them.
As of 12p, 1 hour into the call I’m thinking… is the judge just putting on a good show of pretending to be fair and nice…while planning to keep Rich locked up at all costs… I feel like I"ve seen that before from Fed courts.
Rich said he’d follow court orders if they were not immoral, i.e. telling him to do something wrong. His attorney invoked, the large number of people joining the call as evidence that he had strong ties in New Hampshire. He would be staying at his girlfriend’s place.
Rich said he moved to NH in 2009. They discussed his profession as a computer programmer… They talked about how his wife died before 2009 and Rich mentioned how this led to a collapse
Seth Aframe began questioning him. Rich said he was terrified in March. Rich admitted he had been volitile during the call.
Rich began talking about what might happen in the case and his attorney stopped him.
Rich said “Things cannot possibly get as bad as I…” thought they would be during that phone call.
“It’s fair to say that you’re a leader,” said the prosecutor to Rich.
Prosecutor
“The rough and trumble of political speech has always been volitile,” Said rich. He said Cathy Griffen (sp) should not be put in jail for holding a fake severed donald trump head…and wasn’t.
As of 12:15p there were another 8 messages in the chat that appeared to be from average people.
“I never left the area of Constitutionally protected speech” said Rich around 12:20p
Attorney asked him if advocating shooting of police was Constitutionally protected.
“When you’re a political target, you’re a political target.” rich said t some point.
“I’ve been running my mouth on a syndicated radio show…” for 10 years he said, and no one had shot anyone at his request he said
Rich answered questions too fast, usually with no delay at all?
Zoom environment is somewhat disarming.
Attorney objected to the fact that January 6 Capitol incident had been invoked against Rich, despite his probable lack of connection to it. Also mentioned that the government had i think incorrectly or inaccurately invoked rich’s self defense case in central square where he waved a tripod.
unlicensed money services mentioned
Stength of the case is a big point for the bail hearing , said judge.
Rich’s attorney said govt. is not alleging that the (writing interrupted)
There was not an intent to defraud people, says attorney. Cited “the scope of the agreement”
rich had made a statement he might as well kill himself with heroin?
\rich’s attorny said previous judge had indicated the stuff beofre rich’s inflamatory phone call was not enouh to keep him in jail pending trial
Judge LaPlante said that rich’s criminal record is a problem but he has an open mind . he said sometimes he thinks aloud too much or something along those lines, about where he stands at any moment on an issue… sometimes to people’s chagrin.
“District of New Hampshire” kept coming up…especially from rich’s attorney. The thing is not a province it’s a state! Supposed to be treated as more of a nation.
Prosecutor Aframe said “He misrepresented to the banks” what the nature of the business would be, and that this is wire fraud. He mentioned money transmitting without a license. Strengh of evidence on those charges is strong, said attorney. Said meth was found in a safe in Rich’s house. Rich did mention concerns about his safe, in the call. Prosecucotr said " I don’t know if this is a violent man." I find him very engaging, he said… “volitile man with lots of supporters”
Attorney prosecutor said He’s very intelligent and I appreciate all of that apologizing and explanations of the call. But he was advocating shooting police
Judge mentioned concerns about “His charisma and leadership” and how his statements will be taken by others. But of course earlier he had said they he would not hold other people’s chats against rich.
“I do not see Mr. Nobody is personally threatening” said Judge, who may have only been a magistrate I don’t know.
Judge says “i consider that a long time to detain” someone before trial (March 2021 thru may 2022)
judge said Fed statute “criminalizes a lot of conduct”
Bad risk long delay, has failed to appear in court, “He’s not a person who recognizes the authority of the Federal government to be as involved in peoples’ lives as it is”
Rich denied failing to appear.
Judge re-examined the record. Said there was one in Cheshire Superior Court. Failed to appear for arraignment? Rich said it might have been an incident where it was miscommunication. Judge said that made sense as a possiblity. Cited other violations of something or another.
If the govt didnt move on flight risk or failure to appear, i’m not going to focus on it probably said judge.
Judge “I’ve very glad I had the hearing” because earlier I had indicated I wasnt goign to deviate from judge lynch’s order.
"He’res what it comes down to… " under some statute which requires a hearing which will reasonably assure the appearance of the defendant and the safety of the community. Judge said he doesn’t think Rich will fly to canada or personally create a threat. But if he’s out there’s gonna be conditions and hteres a track record thats not great, and a drug use problem. I’m not into detaining over mairinuana use says judge. But there was methe recovered. SOunds like he’s not a meth addict says judge. but meth not a joke. rich offered to get a legal aderal prescrip to avoid self med. judge paused…seemed thoughtful.
I’m gonna take it under advisement… short time frame… dont want to detain anybody longer than necessary… I’m taking it very seriously. says judge
“This is not a Bitcoin case” said judge.
judge says based on the chat, judge says he’s not sure people understand what court does. judge said he might not be on board with letting rich back on the radio. Said Rich has “political views that aren’t illegitimate to the court, and I don’t know if they necessarily translate into danger.”
will either reconvene or get an order out
zoom ends