A defense lawyer grilled Dan Murray for more than two hours Thursday. The focus of William Swor's cross-examination was to get Murray to acknowledge that militia leader David Stone had some unusual beliefs but didn't have an actual plan to wage war on the government.
Informant ends testimony in Hutaree militia trial | MLive.com
Todd Shanker, attorney for David Stone Jr., acknowledged there are "offensive statements" on the recordings but said the words were "almost fantasy" made among people who were comfortable with each other.
"These are extreme charges. ... They are going to fail, and they are going to fail miserably," said Shanker, adding later that the Hutaree really was more of a "social club" than any organized militia.
William Swor, attorney for David Stone, said his client was a firm believer in the Bible's Book of Revelation and the coming of an "anti-Christ."
"The anti-Christ as David Stone understands it will come from overseas, and the troops of the anti-Christ will take over America. That is the resistance that David Stone was preparing for," Swor said.
He told jurors the government was displaying weapons in court to "make you afraid." Swor said members lived hand-to-mouth and couldn't even afford transportation to a regional militia meeting in Kentucky, a trip that wasn't completed because of bad winter weather. He said it was the undercover agent who supplied the van, gas and a secret camera that captured Stone on video.
Feds: Hutaree militia members ready to 'go to war' - Adrian, MI - The Daily Telegram
Jury selection will continue daily this week with 15 jurors questioned individually about their beliefs on the right to keep and bear arms and in this specific case the government's use of an undercover officer in addition to a paid informant who secretly videotaped Hutaree meetings. The government says the Hutaree conspired to try to kill a police officer and plotted further strikes. No one was ever attacked.
Michigan militia trial starts in with jury picks | News - Home
