Roger Stone was still months away from trial when he walked into a Washington federal courtroom last February, days after a post on his Instagram account featured what appeared to be crosshairs next to his judge’s face.

U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson had summoned the two sides into court as she weighed whether Stone’s post warranted punishment, including the loss of his liberty as he awaited trial on charges of obstructing a congressional investigation, lying to investigators under oath and witness intimidation. On that afternoon, to the apparent surprise of several in the courtroom, Stone took the stand.