A magistrate judge who ruled in May that 21-year-old Jack Teixeira must remain behind bars while the case plays out found that releasing him would pose a risk that he would attempt to flee the country or obstruct justice. Teixeira’s lawyers are now asking a different judge to reverse that decision.
Teixeira’s attorneys wrote that the “disparate approach” in these cases - which are both charged under the Espionage Act - shows that the government’s “argument for Mr. Teixeira’s detention on this basis is illusory.” Teixeira, of North Dighton, has been behind bars since his April arrest on charges stemming from the most consequential intelligence leak in years. His lawyers have suggested that he be released to his father and largely confined to his home with location monitoring and no access to the internet.