Judge Amy Berman Jackson, who is overseeing Trump ally Roger Stone’s criminal case, ordered Stone to court on Tuesday after he posted a number of Instagram posts about her, one of which featured the judge’s photo next to a set of crosshairs. The posts have since been deleted.
Wrote Stone on Instagram after deleting the crosshairs post: “A photo of Judge Jackson posted on my Instagram has been misinterpreted. This was a random photo taken from the Internet. Any inference that this was meant to somehow threaten the Judge or disrespect court is categorically false…What some say are cross hairs are in fact the logo of the organization that originally posted it something called corruption central. They use the logo in many photos.”
Stone, who was indicted on seven charges by U.S. special counsel Robert Mueller earlier this month, also mocked his criminal case as a “show trial” and attacked special counsel Robert Mueller for ensuring his case was before an Obama appointee. He also falsely claimed she dismissed criminal charges against Hillary Clinton over Benghazi.
Stone apologized to the judge in a letter on Monday, writing: “Please inform the Court that the photograph and comment today was improper and should not have been posted. I had no intention of disrespecting the Court and humbly apologize to the Court for the transgression.”
But the judge has called him in on Thursday.