Thread by @joshgerstein

#CapitolRiot defendant Brandon Fellows left voicemail for pretrial services supervision in which he said of her colleague: ‘I know [she] was just trying to do her job and so were the Nazis.’ And: ‘This is how you radicalize people, man.'

Also he explained he didn’t want to come to pretrial services office in Albany, NY because his car was in disrepair and he didn’t want to take bus because: ‘I like starting fights random people over masks.'

Also made comments to pretrial officials about hormones and sex drive and his genitalia. He also allegedly called mother of a pretrial services officer which scared mother & her. Sent officer screenshot of Google search of her. Fellows has said he has mild autism.

Seems certain Fellows is going to be ordered detained pretrial, but he faces fairly modest charges: 1 felony obstruction count and 4 misdemeanors. At least one case I know of prosecutors are discussing plea deal that reduces such a charge to misdemeanor(s).

Another pretrial agent says that when Fellows was asked to seek employment, he submitted a job application to the FBI office in Albany.

Fellows also sent a text to another pretrial officer, regarding a supervised drug test: ‘I'm not going to have anyone weirdly staring at my dick. I’m not a fan of that stuff.'

At some point, Fellows explained leaving rambling, maximum-length voicemails this way: 'It’s fun it passes time. It’s a hobby.’ Judge McFadden asks prosecution to move along: ‘I'm not going to revoke [release] on that basis.'

At outset of this bail revocation hearing, judge seemed to want defense to waive it, but Fellows’ lawyer declined. Now judge says he has another hearing that was supposed to start half hour ago. Tells prosecutor to speed it up.

Fellows also in one message referenced size and performance of his gentialia. When pretrial officer told him he couldn’t look for work that day after missing a mental health appointment, he responded: 'Have you checked your hormones today?'

Fellows then allegedly called the pretrial officer Kendra Rennie's mother’s landline in another state and asked for the officer. Mother’s phone captured the caller ID. 'It was intimidation. It was frightening. It made me nervous,' Rennie said.

Judge asks if mother’s number was listed to Rennie’s name. Rennie indicates her mom was in western Mass. area code. Judge also noted: 'A lot of folks have different areas codes with cell phones the way they are these days.'

Judge says he won’t hold Fellows based on dangerousness. 'I think you’ve shown he’s rude and immature and misogynist,’ he tells prosecutors. Judge now hearing argument on detaining Fellows based on non-compliance with release conditions.

Defense points out while Fellows canceled a mental health appointment, he almost immediately rescheduled it and pretrial did not report that to the court.

Now defense attorney says Fellows isn’t satisfied with her representation and may want to switch lawyers. Statement came after she said he wants to address the court

'It doesn’t seem like I’m really able to get through to him,' she says. Fellows then says he wants to address court today: ‘I've been made well aware of the risk that can come from it I’m willing to accept those risks.'

Fellows: 'For a long time, I’ve been lied about. I’d like to address those lies here today.’ He says he thinks the defense lawyer, Cara Halverson, ‘has good character and has done her best.’ Now, judge in sidebar with attorneys.

Judge McFadden is going to recess until 11AM tomorrow so another lawyer can advise Fellows on the risk of him testifying at the bail hearing. He would be subject to cross-examination by the government, at least on the events at issue in the hearing. ENDS