The Brett Kimberlin Saga (And How You Can Help!)

Dear reader, I have created this page on my blog so that you could have one place you could go to help you sort through what I half-jokingly call The Brett Kimberlin Saga^®.  I have been meaning to do this ever since I have been allowed to blog about Kimberlin again, recognizing that any person coming here for the first time would have a hard time following it all.  So the impulse is very similar to Patrick’s recent post giving you a Cliff’s Notes version of the story, but this  is going to be significantly different.  I am going to summarize it, yes, but I am also going to give you a guide to the major posts and events in this saga for you.  And I expect to update this page without noting the changes every now and then, because this is an ongoing story, unfolding in real time.

Most of the links will be to my own blog, with a few outside links necessary to put things into context.  And at the risk of being accused of being self-centered, I am going to focus mainly on my own story, because that is the one I know best and for which the facts are most easily sorted out for me.  And my story has a few other advantages.  Not only is the conduct I have exposed egregious, but for most of it there is no question who did it.  I can absolutely prove Brett Kimberlin has tried to get me killed, and attempted to frame me for a crime and abused the court system.  And that gives us the best chance to make sure Brett Kimberlin faces the appropriate legal consequences for this conduct: we can finally take him off the streets and put him in prison where he belongs, with your help.

A Thumbnail Sketch of the Saga

So, here’s the short version.  This story will sound fantastic, but bear in mind, if you dig into the links I will provide in just a moment, I will prove what I say with documentary and video evidence.  So you don’t have to just believe what I say.  You only have to believe your own eyes.

Brett Kimberlin is political activist with a deplorable criminal past.  He is a convicted perjurer, drug smuggler and document forger.  But his most serious convictions relate to a series of terroristic acts in the town of Speedway, Indiana, for which he earned the nickname “The Speedway Bomber.”  He set off eight bombs in six days, the last of which so grievously injured a man that he eventually committed suicide.

Since having been released from prison about a decade ago, Brett Kimberlin has enjoyed a limited public rehabilitation.  But in order to enforce that rehabilitation, Brett Kimberlin and his allies have for some time worked hard to make life hell for anyone who criticizes Brett Kimberlin or brings up his past.  Some of this behavior is merely annoying, some of it constitutes abuse of the courts, some of it actually puts people’s lives in danger, and some of it is actually criminal.  His victims include Patrick Frey, Mandy Nagy, Robert McCain and others.

In my case, my clash with Brett Kimberlin began when I, a lawyer, offered a little bit of free legal advice to a man Kimberlin was suing.  For this “crime” of a lawyer representing a client, Kimberln decided to abuse the court processes by subpoenaing Google and Comcast in an attempt to out me as I was then a pseudonymous blogger who went by the name “Aaron Worthing.”  My real name is Aaron Walker.  He has recently stated under oath that his purpose was not to obtain testimony, as he claimed, but to obtain my identity for other purposes.

In fighting that attempt to out me I wrote a responsive pleading pointing out that the injunction he was ostensibly pretending to enforce was obtained by perjury.  On November 14, 2011, he denied having his parole revoked even though public records establish this fact.  I also placed a complete copy of that pleading on my blog.  These actions made me go from being an ancillary “enemy” of Brett Kimberln to being a primary target, in my opinion.  On January 3, he wrote me an extortionate “settlement offer” which contained a threat to file false criminal charges, peace orders and bar complaints against me if I didn’t withdraw my pleading pointing out that he committed perjury and take down my blog posts doing the same.  When I refused to do so, he then set out to do exactly what he threatened to do: file false criminal charges, petitions for a peace order and bar complaints.

On January 6, he filed a blatantly improper motion to withdraw his subpoenas that included my real name, my home address, my current employer, position and their address.  He simultaneously wrote a letter to the police, admitting that his actions had created the “very real probability that Mr. Walker could be subjected to serious harm or death .now that his identity has been exposed.”  So he admitted to intentionally engaging in conduct that placed my life in danger.  And when I came to court to place this improper motion under seal, he then attempted to frame me for an assault.

From there he got a peace order using perjured testimony while I faced false criminal charges.  When video evidence emerged proving beyond any reasonable doubt that Brett Kimberlin had indeed attempted to frame me for this crime, the criminal charges were dropped and the peace order was dismissed on appeal.  Then I sought justice for these crimes committed against me, by going to the State’s Attorney’s Office for Montgomery County.  When they blew me off, I went public with my story in what I have nicknamed my “monster post” describing all of these events.  That was on May 17.

After that, Brett Kimberlin filed another peace order against me, falsely claiming I had personally threatened him and claiming that writing anything negative anywhere on the internet about him was somehow a threat to him.  That was on May 19.  In the meantime, Lee Stranahan suggested an Everyone Blog About Brett Kimberlin, which ended up going off on May 25.  Two days later on a Sunday Brett Kimberlin filed more false criminal charges claiming again that I had personally threatened him in an email.  (When tested in court, he offered absolutely no evidence that I had done so, and indeed I had not.)  Based on those false charges, he got a warrant out for my arrest—unknown to me.  Then when I showed up for a final peace order hearing on May 29, the judge imposed an unconstitutional prior restraint on me saying I could not mention Brett Kimberlin anywhere on the internet for six months (among other things).  This decision was so lawless that the judge at one point refused to follow binding Supreme Court precedent by name.  And then at the end of the hearing I was arrested on the false charge that I had threatened Kimberlin.

There was, of course, an outpouring of support that profoundly moved me after that.  Those charges were subsequently dropped.  Kimberlin also filed new criminal charges against a guy named Martin Maher and a new peace order against John Norton.  He claimed that Maher had made harassing phone calls, and that Norton had trespassed on his land to take pictures of him, and bizarrely blamed me for both, without an evidence as usual for him.  In the meantime, on June 25, I obtained a partial stay of the peace order pending appeal, lifting the most flagrantly unconstitutional part of the peace order, allowing me to blog about Brett Kimberlin again.

And then on the night of the same victory I was SWATted.  If you are unfamiliar with the term, it is when a person calls the police to falsely report a serious crime, to invoke a serious police response.  In theory it is designed to bring out the SWAT team, although generally that doesn’t happen.  This was the fourth in a series of known SWATtings of critics of Brett Kimberlin.  The previous three had a person call the police pretending to be target.  They would say, “I just shot my wife” or something to that effect, and then give their address to the police.  They have also used hacking techniques to make it appear that the call is actually coming from the target’s home phone.  As for mine, I can say that on the day of, they indicated that it generally fit that pattern.  But I am waiting for additional information to verify the details of my SWATting.

And then on July 5, the rest of the peace order was lifted.  And that brings us up to today when I write this, at least until something else happens.

Links to Prove My Claims and To Tell My Story

So having given that summary, now let me help to provide the links to the posts that prove what I say is actually true.  Bear in mind, these are not links to posts that just say these things happened to me, but they in turn embed or link to primary sources that back up most of my claims.  You absolutely should be rationally suspicious of all claims, and require evidence.  After all, there are other people right now writing all kinds of misinformation, disinformation and outright lies about this story.  So you have to be methodical.  To each claim, you have to ask, “what is your evidence?”

But that can’t be done quickly.  It requires many primary documents and even video evidence.  And I make sure I do something else: I give you enough information to help you to duplicate my work.  The majority of my documents or other sources of information are available to the public at large, such as court documents, court transcripts and even court recordings.  So any journalist working on this story—and I define the term “journalist” by what you do, not whether you work for a traditional news agency—can duplicate most, if not all, of my efforts.  And for those documents presently under seal, I am perfectly happy to work with such journalists to unseal them as needed.

So let me start with the monster post, entitled “How Brett Kimberlin Tried to Frame Me For a Crime (And How You Can Help!)”  This is a link to the summary post introducing it.  I link to that because in fact there are two versions of that monster post, and it links to both.  The first version probably wins the title for the longest post ever written, ever, and that was kind of a problem for some readers because it overwhelmed their computers.  If you think your computer can handle it, the link is here.  Or you can read the same post broken down into eight easy pieces, as such:

How Brett Kimberlin Tried to Frame Me For a Crime (And How You Can Help!)

Introduction.

Part 1: Background

Part 2: The January 9, 2012 Hearing

Part 3: The January 9 Incident

Part 4: What Kimberlin Said About the January 9 Incident

Part 5: The Effect of Kimberlin’s Lies

Part 6: Trying (And Failing) to Get Justice in Montgomery County, Maryland

I am leaving out the last part, discussing how you can help because at the end of this page I am going to tell you how you can help with some updated information, including links to the two charities providing aid.  This page is where you should direct people if they are asking how they can help me.

Anyway, so I published that massive post and the pushback started coming.  I discuss much of this in a series of posts called “The Story I Couldn’t Tell.”  Why I couldn’t tell it will become obvious in a moment.  I will pepper links to this five part series throughout the next few paragraphs.

First Brett Kimberlin filed a new peace order against me on May 19.  This is covered in two posts: “The Story I Couldn’t Tell, Part I: Introduction and The Law of Peace Orders in Maryland” and “The Story I Couldn’t Tell, Part II: Brett Kimberlin’s Latest Petition for a Peace Order.”

The next event came when Robert Stacy McCain ended up fleeing his home.  He first wrote about that, in a post entitled “Never Doubt that God Answers Prayer.”  That was on or about May 21.  What it ultimately turned out to be is that Kimberlin called McCain’s wife’s employer to complain that McCain was harassing him by reporting on his story, making sure that McCain knew that Kimberlin knew where he lived and where his wife worked.  When a man with Kimberlin’s past says “I know where you live” that might not be an actionable threat, but it is understood by people with common sense to be a threat.

The next day Kimberlin appeared in another ex parte court proceeding in relation to his latest peace order.  I didn’t get the transcript until much later, but it reveals what I have suspected for some time: that Kimberlin has targeted me due to bigotry.  I tell that story, in the post entitled “The Story I Couldn’t Tell, Part III: The May 22 Hearing and Brett Kimberlin’s Bigotry Towards Me.”

After that, Lee Stranahan suggested an Everyone Blog About Brett Kimberlin Day, and to this day he has never gotten proper credit for this by Brett Kimberlin (that’s an inside joke between me and Stranahan).  And you can see where I wrote about it, here.  It would be impossible for me to capture every person who wrote on this, but I will in particular pick out Michelle Malkin’s piece announcing it a few days before.  And on Everyone Blog About Brett Kimberlin Day itself, Patrick Frey a.k.a. Patterico, came out with this post describing his harassment at the hands of Team Kimberlin, including his SWATting.

And then after that, on May 27, Brett Kimberlin filed his second false charges against me and even got a warrant for my arrest.  I discuss those charges in a post entitled “The Story I Couldn’t Tell, Part IV: Brett Kimberlin’s Second False Criminal Complaint Against Me.”  But I didn’t know it at the time.

On the same day, I had a post entitled “Did Brett Kimberlin Mock His Victim Carl DeLong in a Music Video?”  It provided evidence that rather than the repentant criminal he always portrayed himself as, he was a vile man actually making fun of the one man whose death he verifiably caused.  Meanwhile, on the same evening, Erick Erickson was SWATted.  You can read my post about it here, but nothing beats just listening to the tape, which is in this clip from Cnn via Breitbart:

On May 29, there was a hearing in district court to determine whether a final peace order would be issued.  Kimberlin won and the final order actually, remarkably, forbad me from writing about Brett Kimberlin for six months (among other things).  And then after the hearing I was arrested based on those false charges.  I wrote about that experience in a post called “The Story I Couldn’t Tell, Part V: The May 29 Hearing and Letting Freedom Ring.”

On June 8, Kimberlin files criminal charges against Martin Maher, which I discussed in this post “Exclusive: Convicted Perjurer Brett Kimberlin’s Criminal Complaint Against Martin Maher.”

On June 15, these new charges against me were dropped as Michelle Malkin and others announced.  Hitler was less than happy about that:

(Via The Original Velvet Revolution.)

On the same day, John Norton was doing...  whatever he actually did.  I’ll link you up to information about that in a moment.  Meanwhile, on May 20, I filed a motion for a partial stay of his peace order.  That is discussed in my post “My Motion and Convicted Perjurer Brett Kimberlin’s Response.”  Kimberlin’s response is also notable, because this is where we start to learn about what John Norton was alleged to have done.

On Thursday of that week, I also filed a federal lawsuit against Kimberlin which Popehat discussed, here.  Both that state and federal action on my behalf didn’t become known until Friday, June 22.  On the same day, Brett Kimberlin filed for a new peace order against John Norton and shortly after, Norton filed for a peace order against him.  I discussed those dueling petitions in a post entitled “Exclusive: Brett Kimberlin v. John Norton... and John Norton v. Brett Kimberlin!”

The following Monday, June 25, Judge Rupp granted my motion for a partial stay of the peace order, a decision I announced first on Twitter and then in a post entitled “An Important Victory for Freedom of Expression.”  Of course on the same day, Kimberlin sent an email to my lawyer threatening me with new peace orders and even criminal charges, which I revealed in a post entitled “Just a Reminder: Brett Kimberlin Still Wants to Shut Me Up.”

And then on the same night as that legal victory, I was SWATted.  I wrote about that experience in a post entitled “What Happened Tonight.”  And when I got a copy of the police report for that SWATting, I included it in a post entitled “Exclusive: The Police Report on my SWATting.”

The following Friday, John Norton and Brett Kimberlin had their hearing.  In it, Kimberlin remarkably denied being imprisoned for the Speedway Bombings, even though that fact is a matter of public record, before he finally admitted to it.  I obtained the audio and wrote about the hearing in a post entitled “Exclusive: The State’s Attorney Has Given Brett Kimberlin a License to Perjure Himself and He Used it in Kimberlin v. Norton.”

Then on July 5, we had the appeal of the peace order Kimberlin had against me and this time the judge looked at what I actually wrote and as a result I emerged victorious.  I first covered that news in a post called Today in Circuit Court, Brett Kimberlin Lost and the First Amendment Won...  And later when I obtained the audio, I transcribed much of the hearing, including the question of whether he had anything to do with my being SWATted, in a post entitled: “Exclusive: Transcribing the Audio from Thursday’s Hearing in Kimberlin v. Walker.”

So that brings us to today, at least until I need to update this page (which I told you I would do without announcing it).  At the moment we have victory, but don’t let yourself think this is over.  Team Kimberlin is still bound and determined to ruin my life.

But for now, if you read the above and all of the links, you will get a fairly complete picture of what is going on.  Of course if you really wanted to get into all the weeds, you could also use this link to read every single post in this “saga” but in all frankness, it’s going to take you several hours just to read through all the previous links and you will experience sharply diminishing returns if you read everything else, too. But it is all there if you want it.

How You Can Help!

So let’s say for the sake of argument, dear reader, that you trudged through all of that.  Well, first thank you very much for all that effort.  I know it was a lot to ask.

And if you read all of that, and if you agree with me that Brett Kimberlin has committed serious crimes against me (and others), perhaps you would be willing to help.  So what can you do?

First, please spread the word far and wide about this story.  Tweet it, blog it, Facebook it, link it, whatever.  If you are a reporter and would like to talk to me about this and even view the un-redacted documents, let me know at any of my emails, including AaronJW72@gmail.com.  I will be happy to speak with you.  As I have said repeatedly, “all reasonable questions will be answered.”  I think you will find me to be a patient and forthcoming person.

Second, you can write to the State’s Attorney of Montgomery County.  I have not named the subordinate in the State’s Attorney’s Office  responsible for the inaction, but ultimately it is the responsibility of John McCarthy, the State’s Attorney himself.  You might also consider writing to the Governor, or the Attorney General.  Be polite.  You will not help me by being foul or insulting.  Simply state that you believe a grave injustice has been done to me—if you happen to agree—and ask them politely to see to it that justice be done.

This is his office’s contact information:

State’s Attorney for Montgomery County

50 Maryland Avenue, 5^th Floor

Rockville, Maryland  20850

states.attorney@montgomerycountymd.gov.

240-777-7300

Brett Kimberlin has committed perjury in five different hearings that I have counted—blatant, easily prosecutable perjury.  The maximum sentence for each is ten years.  So he could easily be put back in prison for the rest of his natural life, if the State’s Attorney only prosecuted him.  I think Carl DeLong would approve.

Third, there are two funds set up to help support me.  The first is the National Blogger’s Club relief fund, providing money to mitigate all of the damage Kimberlin is doing to us, and that includes many victims of his conduct besides myself.  They have a donation page, here.  You can also donate by the second PayPal button on the right.  The first one, meanwhile, is to the Blogger’s Defense Team, a legal defense fund aimed at helping the lawyers in my federal suit and will be helping others unnamed.  Both are necessary and important.  By donating you can help make sure that this will not happen to others and, yes, help mitigate the damage that Kimberlin has done in my life, and the lives of others.

Fourth, if you are hiring, I need a job.  I can work as a lawyer or a blogger, or any number of things.  Feel free to contact me by email if you think you can offer me something.

Fifth, if you donate to his organizations, please stop.  It is apparent to me that this man does little else with his life other than harass people who dare to tell the truth about him.  If he had an ordinary job where he actually had to work 9-5, maybe he would have no time to bother people for telling the truth about him.  This isn’t a legal threat, but simply an observation of reality.  If you donate to him, you are helping him to torment me and others.  His charities might do excellent work, but as long as they employ him, they also support this criminal and immoral conduct.

Besides, can you really trust this man with your money?  Look at how often I have documented his dishonesty.  Is he a trustworthy man?  In my opinion, he is not.

Again, I want to thank you for reading my story.  If you have read this far, you have put a lot of effort to get here and I appreciate it.  And anything you do to help will be equally appreciated.  By sheer shamelessness, Brett Kimberlin has damaged a lot of people’s lives, including my own.  Hopefully we can fight back against him.

--Aaron Walker

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Disclaimer:

I have accused some people, particularly Brett Kimberlin, of reprehensible conduct.  In some cases, the conduct is even criminal.  In all cases, the only justice I want is through the appropriate legal process—such as the criminal justice system.  I do not want to see vigilante violence against any person or any threat of such violence.  This kind of conduct is not only morally wrong, but it is counter-productive.

In the particular case of Brett Kimberlin, I do not want you to even contact him.  Do not call him.  Do not write him a letter.  Do not write him an email.  Do not text-message him.  Do not engage in any kind of directed communication.  I say this in part because under Maryland law, that can quickly become harassment and I don’t want that to happen to him.

And for that matter, don’t go on his property.  Don’t sneak around and try to photograph him.  Frankly try not to even be within his field of vision.  Your behavior could quickly cross the line into harassment in that way too (not to mention trespass and other concerns).

And do not contact his organizations, either.  And most of all, leave his family alone.

The only exception to all that is that if you are reporting on this, there is of course nothing wrong with contacting him for things like his official response to any stories you might report.  And even then if he tells you to stop contacting him, obey that request.  As you will see by the time I am done telling my story that this is a key element in making out a harassment claim under Maryland law—that a person asks you to stop and you refuse.

And let me say something else.  In my heart of hearts, I don’t believe that any person supporting me has done any of the above.  But if any of you have, stop it, and if you haven’t don’t start.