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An FBI agent has reportedly been suspended for refusing to participate in what US media outlets are describing as a “perp walk” for former FBI Director James Comey.
According to CBS News, a news partner of the BBC, the agent’s suspension is attributed to insubordination, stemming from their belief that the planned procedure was inappropriate.
Mr. Comey was indicted in Virginia on two federal charges mere days after former President Donald Trump publicly urged law enforcement to intensify investigations into his political adversaries, including Mr. Comey.
CBS News reports that FBI leadership reportedly discussed dispatching “large, beefy” agents equipped with Kevlar vests to escort Mr. Comey to his upcoming arraignment in Alexandria. The BBC has reached out to the FBI for comment.
A “perp walk” involves law enforcement publicly escorting an individual accused of a crime as they are transported outside a police station or courthouse, often within view of the media. This practice is frequently employed in high-profile cases within the United States.
Mr. Comey is scheduled to appear in court on October 9 for his arraignment, where he will formally face charges of lying to Congress and obstructing a congressional proceeding.
Mr. Comey is accused of providing false testimony to a Senate committee in 2020 regarding his alleged authorization of a classified information leak to the media.
He led the FBI during a period marked by significant events, including the bureau’s investigations into alleged pro-Trump election interference by Russia in 2016 and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s use of a private email server.
Mr. Comey has denied the criminal allegations, expressing “great confidence in the federal judicial system.”
If convicted, he could face a prison sentence of up to five years.
Mr. Trump terminated Mr. Comey’s employment early in his first term in office in 2017, during the FBI’s investigation into Russian interference. The subsequent probe determined that the Trump campaign did not collude with the Kremlin during the election. Since then, Mr. Comey has been a frequent target of criticism from Mr. Trump.
The charges against Mr. Comey were filed shortly before the five-year statute of limitations was set to expire and days after the president appointed Lindsey Halligan, a former personal attorney for Trump, as the new top prosecutor for the region.
Mr. Trump appointed Ms. Halligan following expressions of frustration that “nothing is being done” to his political rivals. In a public social media post, he urged US Attorney General Pam Bondi to investigate Mr. Comey, along with New York Attorney General Letitia James and Democratic Senator Adam Schiff, who presided over his first impeachment trial.
“We can’t delay any longer, it’s killing our reputation and credibility,” Mr. Trump stated in the post.
The implementation of the plan involving FBI agents escorting Mr. Comey remains uncertain. Reports indicate that his attorneys were planning to accompany Mr. Comey to his court arraignment, a standard practice in non-violent criminal cases.
The BBC has reached out to his attorneys for comment.
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The BBC’s Nada Tawfik was inside the courtroom as the convicted hip-hop mogul addressed his family and the judge.
The rapper will serve over four years, with about a year of credit for time served since he has been behind bars since his arrest.
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