(image chris geidner/twitter)
The government will put Dan Choi on trial in August for chaining himself to the White House last November in protest of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" because Choi refuses to accept a plea deal.
Jane Hamsher at FireDogLake was in the courtroom yesterday:
…Today [Assistant U.S. Attorney Angela ]George faced an equally skeptical Judge Alan Kay, who had little patience for George's assertions that she did not know until today that Choi was refusing the government's deal, and was thus unprepared to proceed. At the the previous hearing, George spent considerable time complaining that Choi was not accepting the government's deal and removing his name from the settlement documents.
Choi is represented by Kurland and Christopher R. Lynn, who came prepared to argue their case today. Although Judge Kay said repeatedly he thought it would take a half day for the trial, George said she expected it to take two days, as she was prepared to call multiple witnesses. She also told Choi's attorneys that there was no way he could have failed to hear the order to disperse issued by the park service “unless he's hard of hearing.”