WASHINGTON - A demonstrator who interrupted arguments at the U.S. Supreme Court in February and whose group posted video of the protest online, a first for the court, has been sentenced to time served.
Noah Kai Newkirk of Los Angeles pleaded guilty Tuesday in connection with the Feb. 26 disruption, after which he served a night in jail.
After Tuesday’s hearing, a Supreme Court policeman gave Newkirk a piece of paper that notified him he is also barred from the court grounds for a year.
After video of his protest was posted online, the Supreme Court, which forbids cameras and all other electronic devices, tightened its security screening.
Newkirk, a member of the group 99Rise, told a D.C. Superior Court judge overseeing his case that he spoke out to protest the “unprecedented amount of money” corporations are spending on elections.
He said the Supreme Court played a role in “deepening that corruption.”
Newkirk called on the court to overturn its 2010 decision in Citizens United v. FEC.
Front Section, Pages 2 on 04/16/2014