In the hearing for Riley June Williams, the 22 y/o accused of stealing (or helping to steal) Nancy Pelosi's laptop and sell it to a contact in Russia, her lawyer says that she is charged w aiding and abetting the theft and that a search found she doesn't have the computer.... 
The gov lawyer is being tight-lipped because she is concerned that giving too many details about the investigation could jeopardize it, but she says that Riley Williams deleted her accounts *before* she turned herself in, and instructed others to delete evidence.
Williams' lawyer says that the majority of the accusation made to the FBI about her stealing Pelosi's computer & trying to sell it to Russia were made by an ex who "vowed to bring revenge on her" and who Williams is getting a restraining order against. ...
Williams' lawyer also said that she deleted her social media accts *before Jan 6* because her ex was messaging people from her accounts. The gov disputes this, and says on 1/10 she instructed someone on Discord to delete messages that had to do w the Capitol events
The gov and her lawyer agrees that she didn't delete accts etc after she was arrested, but the gov says they disagree w the characterization of "when and why" she deleted her accts. Gov says Williams being online endangers their investigation & could delete evidence in a second.
The Judge compared the allegations against Riley Williams to the TV show The Americans, which is about Russian Spies living in the US during the Cold War.
The Judge and lawyers have been arguing on and off the record for about 30 mins at this point about whether Williams would be able to access the web via a smart TV (imo she probably could). They all seem very confused by this tech, while Williams just watches, told not to speak.
Judge Zia Faruqui, who is newly appointed to the court, finally says she's allowed to watch the TV as long as she doesn't use it for any "two way" communication. She can use video chat for mandated mental health assessment / treatment and talking to her lawyer, but nothing else
She cannot use the internet to look for a job, Faruqui says, and can only have a flip phone. She will stay under house arrest with an ankle monitor, and it's up to her mom to make sure she does not access the internet.
While Judge Harvey is all business, Faruqui seems new and bumbling. He's apologetic, telling Williams he knows that having a bunch of people she doesn't know telling her how to live her life is frustrating. He made 3 pop culture references: Silicon Valley, Americans, Terminator
Riley Williams' attorney, AJ Kramer, just told me that Williams's house & car were searched and that she did not have Nancy Pelosi's laptop or hard drive and that he "thinks" she never had it. He claims her stealing the laptop & trying to sell it to Russia was made up by an ex.
My article on today's hearing: buzzfeednews.com/article/emaoco…
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