By Laura Jarrett
A second federal judge in Baltimore on Friday ordered the continued detention of a former NSA contractor accused of stealing a vast quantity of highly classified intelligence information.
US District Judge Richard D. Bennett agreed with the government that the ex-employee, Harold Martin III, poses a flight risk.
“The harm has already occurred regardless of how this case plays out,” Bennett remarked to a packed courtroom. “This is a shock to the public and intelligence community.”
The defense team sought to have Martin’s initial detention order reviewed with a fresh set of eyes after Magistrate Judge A. David Copperthite ruled last week that there’s a serious risk Martin would flee if released.
Public defender James Wyda did not dispute the serious nature of the crime, but emphasized Martin’s mental health challenges, characterizing his hoarding tendencies as “completely out of control.”
“There was no system here … No spycraft here,” Wyda argued, highlighting the way in which Martin haphazardly kept materials in his car.
Wyda also revealed that just last week Martin’s wife, Deborah Shaw, uncovered an additional zip drive in a computer bag from Martin’s impounded car, potentially containing more classified material.
Bennett questioned prosecutors about their assertion that the names of “numerous” US covert intelligence operatives were included in the materials Martin is accused of stealing — which the government disclosed for the first time in court filings this week.
Prosecutors said Friday in court that the materials contained “many” intelligence officers’ names and locations, but did not provide specifics.
Prosecutors have repeatedly indicated they intend to seek additional charges against Martin but would not speculate on Martin’s motive at the hearing and said they didn’t yet know whether Martin gave or sold the classified information to others.
“We don’t know what we don’t know yet,” Assistant US Attorney Harvey Eisenberg said.
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