May 03, 2010
Hutaree Cultists Out On Bail
When they were first arrested after being accused of plotting the murder of police officers in hopes of starting a civil war, the charges against the militant Hutaree cult sounded serious and shocking.
After reviewing the evidence, however, the judge in the case has lashed out at the government for deficiencies in the case and ordered the suspects freed on bail:
In a blistering attack, U.S. District Court Judge Victoria Roberts in Detroit said prosecutors had failed to persuade her the defendants were a danger to the community.While they may have engaged in "offensive and hate-filled speech," it was not at all clear that they had conspired to break any laws, Roberts wrote.
"Discussions about killing local law enforcement officers -- and even discussions about killing members of the Judicial Branch of Government -- do not translate to conspiring to overthrow, or levy war against, the United States Government," she wrote in a 36-page opinion.
The fury of the judge does not seem to bode well for the government's case.
So, uh, does this mean the Tea Partiers are safe?
Posted by: cobolpoet at May 3, 2010 03:07 PMWe are all Hutaree now...
Posted by: Toaster802 at May 3, 2010 03:29 PMA quick search reveals that Her Honor Victoria Roberts was appointed to her judgeship by the Slug in 1998, and her bio is consistent with a D affiliation.
Methinks that if she is reaming the prosecution, in a case like this, it really doesn't bode well for the government's case...
Posted by: wolfwalker at May 3, 2010 03:42 PMHmmm. Considering that this is the same administration that not only thought that one of the most deadly dangers facing America is our own soldiers returning from the battlefield, but actually published that insane, paranoid fantasy, one does have to wonder about such charges and the kind of people who lodge them.
Perhaps these are in fact dangerous criminals, but as CY has observed, this is not an encouraging development.
Posted by: mikemcdaniel at May 3, 2010 09:54 PMThis judge needs the benefit of a re-education camp. President Obama has made it exceptionally clear that thought-crimes against the state have the same effectual impact as actual crimes (excluding actual crimes against the state committed by righteous revolutionaries such as personal friend Bill Ayers and his wife).
Posted by: Hatless Hessian at May 3, 2010 11:06 PMHuh. Good for her. Ya know if a Democrat who is a judge decides that the left controlled law enforcement is out of line then they must really be way out of line. That is my thinking on the matter anyway.
The judge may be very right. the givment has got to protect every persons right to say whatever. It is in the doing that matters.
Posted by: Ron at May 4, 2010 11:00 AMIsn't it interesting that the Feds don't even seem to have adequate evidence to hold the Hutaree without bail, yet the Hutaree were charged with sedition and Shazad (the Times Square car bomber) has not been charged with sedition.
I think that fact tellingly demonstrates who the Democrats think is the real enemy, and who they think isn't.
Posted by: Brad at May 4, 2010 09:08 PM
