I guess it's a good idea to point out good news as well as bad. In an absolutely stunning decision rarely seen in the cultural marxist swamp that we live in a Federal judge handed down what has to be one of the most shocking decisions since I have been following the govts war on personal freedom.
A federal judge acquitted seven members of the Hutaree militia Tuesday of the most serious charges following six weeks of testimony
After two years of incarceration in which their lives have been altered beyond repair District Judge Victoria Roberts granted a defense motion to acquit the militia members on seven charges, including seditious conspiracy and conspiracy to use weapons of mass destruction. The most serious charge could have resulted in life prison sentences.
And this is a judges acquital which means it cannot be repealed.
In the 28-page decision, Roberts wrote: "The evidence is not sufficient for a rational factfinder to find that defendants came to a concrete agreement to forcibly oppose the authority of the government of the United States as charged in the indictment."
She said prosecutors shifted positions since the defendants were indicted; the indictment charges a specific plan to overthrow the United States government.
Prosecutors now argue that the group had a general plan to engage in violence to provoke a response from law enforcement, she said.
As the FedGov switched its prosecution of try and find a reason to convict the judge said:
"The prosecution is not free to roam at large — to shift its theory of criminality so as to take advantage of each passing vicissitude of the trial," Roberts said. "If the government now admits that the plan alleged in Count 1 of the indictment (seditious conspiracy) did not exist, then defendants must be acquitted."
Personally I can never remember a judge sticking up for the rights of defendents (except black judges for certain black defendents).
Of course the price has already been paid, perhaps they can sue for something.
The return to freedom came with a high price, one member said.
"We've lost everything," Tina Stone said in a taped interview with the Associated Press. Stone's husband, David Stone, and stepson Joshua Stone have been behind bars since their arrest exactly two years ago, until U.S. District Judge Victoria Robert dismissed almost all of the charges this week. "We don't have a house to live in. ... Even pictures of my kids as they were growing up -- we've lost them all."
The FBI had infiltrated the group with an informant and an undercover agent who collected evidence of extreme anti-government attitudes. So that's two, 2!! govt employees who spent all their time trying to talk these poor 7 people into a federal crime.
Appointed by Bill Clinton, born in Detroit. Probably a liberal all the way, here's to U.S. District Judge Victoria Robert
From The Detroit News: http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20120327/METRO/203270433#ixzz1qkiePGyh
After two years of incarceration in which their lives have been altered beyond repair District Judge Victoria Roberts granted a defense motion to acquit the militia members on seven charges, including seditious conspiracy and conspiracy to use weapons of mass destruction. The most serious charge could have resulted in life prison sentences.
And this is a judges acquital which means it cannot be repealed.
In the 28-page decision, Roberts wrote: "The evidence is not sufficient for a rational factfinder to find that defendants came to a concrete agreement to forcibly oppose the authority of the government of the United States as charged in the indictment."
She said prosecutors shifted positions since the defendants were indicted; the indictment charges a specific plan to overthrow the United States government.
Prosecutors now argue that the group had a general plan to engage in violence to provoke a response from law enforcement, she said.
As the FedGov switched its prosecution of try and find a reason to convict the judge said:
"The prosecution is not free to roam at large — to shift its theory of criminality so as to take advantage of each passing vicissitude of the trial," Roberts said. "If the government now admits that the plan alleged in Count 1 of the indictment (seditious conspiracy) did not exist, then defendants must be acquitted."
Personally I can never remember a judge sticking up for the rights of defendents (except black judges for certain black defendents).
Of course the price has already been paid, perhaps they can sue for something.
The return to freedom came with a high price, one member said.
"We've lost everything," Tina Stone said in a taped interview with the Associated Press. Stone's husband, David Stone, and stepson Joshua Stone have been behind bars since their arrest exactly two years ago, until U.S. District Judge Victoria Robert dismissed almost all of the charges this week. "We don't have a house to live in. ... Even pictures of my kids as they were growing up -- we've lost them all."
The FBI had infiltrated the group with an informant and an undercover agent who collected evidence of extreme anti-government attitudes. So that's two, 2!! govt employees who spent all their time trying to talk these poor 7 people into a federal crime.
Appointed by Bill Clinton, born in Detroit. Probably a liberal all the way, here's to U.S. District Judge Victoria Robert
From The Detroit News: http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20120327/METRO/203270433#ixzz1qkiePGyh
