His lawyer, Lt. Col. Bradley Poronsky, argued that the obstructing justice charge should either be dismissed or go unpunished, saying it amounts to double jeopardy because it already factored into Teixeira's November sentencing. Prosecutors argued against dismissal, saying the charge involves different conduct at a different time than the acts that obstructed justice in the federal case.
Judge Vicki Marcus took the defense motion under advisement and said the proceedings would resume Thursday. As for the disobeying orders charge, the possibility of a plea agreement was brought up repeatedly but neither side offered any details pending the judge's decision.
Teixeira, 22, remains in the Air National Guard in an unpaid status for now. He wore his military uniform for the proceedings at Hanscom Air Force Base in Massachusetts, and didn't comment other than telling the judge he understood the process. Several family members were in attendance.
Military prosecutors had said the court-martial is appropriate given that obeying orders is the “absolute core” of the military. Teixeira’s lawyers had argued that further action would amount to prosecuting him twice for the same offense.
The leaks exposed to the world unvarnished secret assessments of Russia’s war in Ukraine, including information about troop movements in Ukraine, and the provision of supplies and equipment to Ukrainian troops. Teixeira also admitted posting information about a U.S. adversary’s plans to harm U.S. forces serving overseas.
Before he was sentenced in November in Boston, Teixeira showed little emotion as he stood in court and apologized for illegally collecting some of the nation’s most sensitive secrets and sharing them with other users on the social media platform Discord.
“I wanted to say I’m sorry for all the harm that I brought and caused,” Teixeira said. “I understand all the responsibility and consequences fall upon my shoulders alone and accept whatever that will bring.”
His mother and others had submitted letters to the federal judge seeking leniency.
″I know Jack deeply regrets his actions and is ready to accept his punishment for his part in this situation,” wrote his mother, Dawn Dufault. “While I understand the severity of his charges and the importance of ensuring justice, I implore you, Your Honor, to consider Jack’s true nature and his unique challenges, as I have observed over the years.”
Teixeira’s lawyers described him as an autistic, isolated individual who spent most of his time online, especially with his Discord community, and never meant to harm the United States. “His intent was to educate his friends about world events to make certain they were not misled by misinformation,” they wrote. “He needed someone to share the experience with.”
Prosecutors countered that Teixeira did not suffer from any intellectual disability and that his post-arrest diagnosis of “mild, high-functioning” autism was of “questionable relevance.”
The security breach forced the Biden administration to scramble to try to contain diplomatic and military fallout. The leaks also embarrassed the Pentagon, which tightened controls to safeguard classified information and disciplined members found to have intentionally failed to take required action about Teixeira's suspicious behavior.
Teixeira, of North Dighton, Massachusetts, was part of the 102nd Intelligence Wing at Otis Air National Guard Base in Massachusetts. He worked as a cyber transport systems specialist, which is essentially an information technology specialist responsible for military communications networks.
Authorities said he first typed out classified documents he accessed and then began sharing photographs of files that bore SECRET and TOP SECRET markings.
Prosecutors said he tried to cover his tracks before his arrest — authorities found a smashed tablet, laptop and an Xbox gaming console in a dumpster.
Credit: AP
Credit: AP