RNA - Supporters of a St. Clair County teen accused of soliciting support for a terrorist act are planning to gather Tuesday afternoon to show their support for him.
Peyton Pruitt, 19, was found not guilty by reason of mental defect in a St. Clair County court on Sept. 8, but he remains in the county jail awaiting a mental evaluation.
The "I Am Peyton" Peaceful Protest Rally is planned to begin at 4 p.m. at the courthouse and feature several speakers. Pruitt has been the subject of an Internet petition calling for his release, as well as a profile in Esquire.
His father, Tony Pruitt, said the response has been "overwhelming."
"I had lost faith in our judicial system, but the reaction of people has been a breath of fresh air," he said. "I don't even know how to describe it. It's been so gratifying to see citizens want to come out and support Peyton."
Pruitt was arrested Nov. 13, 2015 and charged with soliciting support for a terrorist act.
At a December hearing , witnesses described Pruitt as a "child" - a teenager with an IQ in the 50s who cannot tie his own shoes, soils his clothes, has little verbal skills and lacks the ability to distinguish reality from fantasy.
A St. Clair County investigator testified last year that the FBI determined Pruitt used the Internet to communicate with what he believed were representatives of the Islamic State and the Pakistani Taliban, and that he told an FBI agent that he provided links to encrypted information on car bombs, pressure cooker bombs and suggested high value targets for acts of terrorism.
If found guilty, Pruitt could have faced 10 years in prison. A May mental evaluation found Pruitt has a mental defect and is "not a danger to himself or the community."
St. Clair County District Attorney Richard Minor said Pruitt is still being held pending another mental evaluation by Taylor Hardin Secure Mental Facility. While Pruitt has been found not guilty because of his mental capacity, the state still has the responsibility to determine his disposition, whether in a facility or under supervised care, he said.
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