Gay Former Army Lieutenant Fights Charges over White House Protest

Daniel Choi faces six months in jail for chaining self to White House fence

The gay former Army lieutenant arrested after handcuffing himself to the White House fence to protest the military's now repealed "don't ask, don't tell" policy returned to court on Thursday to fight the charges.

Daniel Choi, who graduated from West Point and was discharged from the military for violating the ban, tried to turn the usually staid courtroom of the U.S. District Court into a lively venue for protesting his prosecution for his role in the November 2010 demonstration.

Choi's demeanor swung from emotional outbursts at the lectern to belligerent confrontations with a U.S. Park Police officer and the federal prosecutor. Dressed in a military uniform, Choi paced the courtroom, serving as his own lawyer.

(Hat tip to Bruce Majors via Twitter)