Marcum was considered such a threat by the NSA that it collected information on his teacher, his local police, the local prosecutors and a local judge and insisted that these five individuals work in concert to railroad this kid or else their secrets would be revealed.
Or
In a small, rural community in which everyone likely knows everyone else's business, Marcum or his family have rubbed the wrong neighbors the wrong way.
Even if true, that makes it worse.
It's also possible that the prosecutor is a transplant that ran unopposed for the position because he couldn't earn a living as a lawyer and has now stepped in a big pile of stupid.
So must the news reporter that the judge had thrown out. I’ve lived in rural areas for most of my life so I know how they work but the judge having the bailiff throw out a reporter isn’t normal small-town stuff.