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Jim Bell's Federal Court Defense Against Stalking Charges

Calendar Apr 09, 2001 • User Avatar Anthony Pell
1 min read
General Esm H446
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Topics Covered

government surveillance free speech stalking charges federal court criminal defense
Jim Bell took the witness stand in federal court on Friday to argue he was attempting to document illegal behavior, not stalk government agents. Bell described his electronic research last year -- which the Justice Department says led federal agents to . . . Jim Bell took the witness stand in federal court on Friday to argue he was attempting to document illegal behavior, not stalk government agents. Bell described his electronic research last year -- which the Justice Department says led federal agents to fear for their safety -- as entirely lawful and said he never intended to hurt or threaten anyone.

The 43-year-old chemist and entrepreneur freely admitted he bought motor vehicle databases and did Internet searches on the names of Treasury Department agents as part of his effort to uncover illegal surveillance by the U.S. government. Bell is charged with five federal counts of interstate stalking, and the jury trial began last Tuesday.

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