A recent order from U.S. v. Teixeira (involving Jack Teixeira, a national guard member who pleaded guilty to leaking highly classified military documents about the war in Ukraine) has stirred up some curiosity:
147 Oct 29, 2024 Judge Indira Talwani: ELECTRONIC ORDER entered. All non-parties who accessed or obtained copies of Defendant’s sentencing memorandum or attachments thereto are ORDERED to destroy all electronic and print copies of these documents. The filings are sealed documents in accordance with this court’s prior order 141. (Talwani, Indira) (Entered: 10/29/2024)
This order seemed questionable to me. After looking into it, I found what seems to be a copy of the order on the CourtListener site, which technically would make me bound by the order alongside others who accessed it. It appears that the court had recently granted a motion to file the defendant’s full sentencing memorandum under seal, citing various reasons.
The memorandum was not filed under seal or with redactions, although Exhibits A and C were filed under seal. However, a new order was issued today:
148 Oct 30, 2024 Judge Indira Talwani: ELECTRONIC ORDER vacating Electronic Order 147. The clerk shall update the docket text at 142, inserting the bracketed notations 142 [Redacted] SENTENCING MEMORANDUM, [142-1] [Cover Page] Exhibit A (Expert Report) Filed Under Seal, [142-3] Exhibit C [Cover Page] Exhibit C (Unredacted IG Report) Filed Under Seal. Docket entries 142, [142-1], [142-2], and [142-3] may then be unsealed. The remaining attachments to 142 shall remain under seal. (Cook, Savannah) (Entered: 10/30/2024)
It’s a shame we may not get to learn more about the situation, as the order has now been vacated.
