The Justice Department on Tuesday asked a New York district judge to sentence a woman who stole the diary of her eldest daughter Ashley Biden to four to 10 months in prison for the crime.
Prosecutors with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York originally sought a sentence of six months of home confinement followed by three years of supervised release for Amy Harris, who pled guilty to conspiracy charges in August 2022. Ta. Interstate transportation of stolen property related to diary theft.
Harris has asked to have her sentencing hearing rescheduled 12 times, prosecutors said, and prosecutors say her excuses “unreasonably delay” her punishment and merit a more severe sentence. claims.
“Defendant’s sentence must also account for how she abused the administration of justice during the pendency of this case,” the filing by U.S. Attorney Damien Williams said. Reading to District Judge Laura Taylor Swain.
“Defendants mislead the court with false information to justify belated and unwarranted requests for adjournments, refuse to appear in court when directed to do so, fail to comply with court orders requiring disclosures and productions, etc. , has repeatedly and consistently engaged in tactics to unduly delay this process. Certain Information,” the document states.
“Through this pattern of conduct, the defendant has demonstrated complete disregard for the orders of the court and the orderly conduct of this judicial process.”
Harris discovered Biden’s daughter’s diary, tax records, private family photos and cell phone in September 2020 while staying at her former home in Delray Beach, Florida. According to the Department of Justice.
The diary contained “very personal entries,” the Justice Department said.
According to the government, Harris stole Ashley Biden’s property, then stole it from her co-defendant, Robert, knowing that the property belonged to “an immediate family member of a former government official who was a national political candidate.”・Mr. Kurlander was reportedly hired to help with the sale.
The pair sold the diary to conservative media outlet Project Veritas for $40,000 ahead of the 2020 election.
The media did not publish the contents of the diary, but the contents were later published online.
“A sentence without incarceration is wholly inadequate to reflect the gravity of the defendant’s conduct, including her apparent belief that she is above the law and has no need to comply with the orders of this court.” prosecutors argued in their amended sentencing request. .
Harris is scheduled to be sentenced on April 9th.
Prosecutors warned that if she did not appear in court again, they could seek an enhanced obstruction of justice charge.
Kurlander also pleaded guilty in the case, and a sentencing hearing is scheduled for April 12.
