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I give up.
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Daniel Baker tells jury he was 'joking' in Capitol threats trial; jurors deliberate his fate
May 5, 2021
Daniel Baker told jurors he was “exaggerating,” “joking” and holding a mirror to right-wing viewpoints when he posted what federal prosecutors say were social media threats to violently attack armed protesters he thought would converge on the Florida Capitol earlier this year.
The alleged threats followed years of badgering from locally-based, far-right groups like the Republic of Florida, Baker said, and FBI intelligence bulletins in January that armed protesters could descend on state capitals leading up to the inauguration of President Joseph Biden.
“After being harassed continuously for the past five years, if I create this presence of the far-left boogey man that the far-right believes is an Antifa super soldier,” Baker told jurors, “they’d be less likely to do a drive-by and shoot at me.”
Previous coverage:Prosecutors paint Daniel Baker as a threat. Defense says it's not as it appears
And more:Daniel Baker pleads not guilty to federal charges in Capitol threat case
At about 4:30 p.m., 12 jurors began deliberating Baker’s fate on two federal counts he used the internet to transmit two true threats to kidnap or injure. About an hour later, jurors were sent home for the day. They will return at 9 a.m. Thursday to continue deliberating.
Baker testifies in his defense, bringing up his military history
Baker’s testimony in his own defense Wednesday led jurors through his brief military history, time with an international militant group fighting ISIS and social media posts he said were jokes.
At the time, in the weeks between when armed insurgents overtook the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6 and Inauguration Day, Baker said he legitimately believed there was a possibility a similar attempt could happen in Tallahassee. That caused him to issue a “call to arms” flyer he said wasn’t aimed at provocateurs.
“I thought it was 25% possible out of a series of potential outcomes,” he said during testimony. During testimony, he often got off track and referred to himself as the fictional character Don Quixote in his self-described paranoia of armed right-wing groups threatening the state Capitol. He was also distrusting of law enforcement believing their ranks had been infiltrated by racists.
He told jurors he hadn’t planned on attacking anyone unless attacked first or if police forces were overtaken. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen Kunz pointed out that’s not what was detailed in the “call to arms.”
“I wanted to inspire the community to defend itself and defend the Capitol,” Baker said under questioning. “It was directed at the people who would be defending it.”
Baker, 33, said his online persona was a “left-wing caricature” meant to intimidate groups who had threatened him in the past. It included bluster about him being a sharpshooter, about being a member of Antifa and exaggerations about having killed people during his time with the People’s Protection Units, also known as the YPG, in the fight against ISIS.
Baker served in the Army for less than a year in 2007 but was discharged eight months later after going AWOL. He traveled to Syria a decade later to join the the YPG. He spent years homeless and unemployed in Tallahassee, had ties to the Antifa movement and spent last summer taking part in Black Lives Matter protests around the country.
Daniel Baker tells jury he was 'joking' in Capitol threats trial; jurors deliberate his fate
May 5, 2021
Daniel Baker told jurors he was “exaggerating,” “joking” and holding a mirror to right-wing viewpoints when he posted what federal prosecutors say were social media threats to violently attack armed protesters he thought would converge on the Florida Capitol earlier this year.
The alleged threats followed years of badgering from locally-based, far-right groups like the Republic of Florida, Baker said, and FBI intelligence bulletins in January that armed protesters could descend on state capitals leading up to the inauguration of President Joseph Biden.
“After being harassed continuously for the past five years, if I create this presence of the far-left boogey man that the far-right believes is an Antifa super soldier,” Baker told jurors, “they’d be less likely to do a drive-by and shoot at me.”
Previous coverage:Prosecutors paint Daniel Baker as a threat. Defense says it's not as it appears
And more:Daniel Baker pleads not guilty to federal charges in Capitol threat case
At about 4:30 p.m., 12 jurors began deliberating Baker’s fate on two federal counts he used the internet to transmit two true threats to kidnap or injure. About an hour later, jurors were sent home for the day. They will return at 9 a.m. Thursday to continue deliberating.
Baker testifies in his defense, bringing up his military history
Baker’s testimony in his own defense Wednesday led jurors through his brief military history, time with an international militant group fighting ISIS and social media posts he said were jokes.
At the time, in the weeks between when armed insurgents overtook the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6 and Inauguration Day, Baker said he legitimately believed there was a possibility a similar attempt could happen in Tallahassee. That caused him to issue a “call to arms” flyer he said wasn’t aimed at provocateurs.
“I thought it was 25% possible out of a series of potential outcomes,” he said during testimony. During testimony, he often got off track and referred to himself as the fictional character Don Quixote in his self-described paranoia of armed right-wing groups threatening the state Capitol. He was also distrusting of law enforcement believing their ranks had been infiltrated by racists.
He told jurors he hadn’t planned on attacking anyone unless attacked first or if police forces were overtaken. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen Kunz pointed out that’s not what was detailed in the “call to arms.”
“I wanted to inspire the community to defend itself and defend the Capitol,” Baker said under questioning. “It was directed at the people who would be defending it.”
Baker, 33, said his online persona was a “left-wing caricature” meant to intimidate groups who had threatened him in the past. It included bluster about him being a sharpshooter, about being a member of Antifa and exaggerations about having killed people during his time with the People’s Protection Units, also known as the YPG, in the fight against ISIS.
Baker served in the Army for less than a year in 2007 but was discharged eight months later after going AWOL. He traveled to Syria a decade later to join the the YPG. He spent years homeless and unemployed in Tallahassee, had ties to the Antifa movement and spent last summer taking part in Black Lives Matter protests around the country.
Daniel Baker tells jury he was 'joking' in Capitol threats trial; jurors deliberate his fate
At 5:30 p.m, an hour after getting the case, jurors were sent home for the day. They will return at 9 a.m. Thursday to continue deliberating.
www.tallahassee.com
