The Narrative
An FBI agent who led the investigation of nine Michigan militia members charged with trying to launch war against the federal government couldn’t recall many details of the two-year probe yesterday during questioning by defense lawyers.
Even the judge who must decide whether to release the nine until trial was puzzled.
“I share the frustrations of the defense team … that she doesn’t know anything,” U.S. District Judge Victoria Roberts said after agent Leslie Larsen confessed she hadn’t reviewed her notes recently and couldn’t remember specific details of the case.
Judge Roberts is hearing an appeal of another judge’s order that has kept members of so-called Hutaree militia in jail since their arrest in late March.
Short on details for a bunch of press that scared a lot of people.
April 28th, 2010 at 9:14 am
Guess the agency has something to lose. Probably was and Fbi agent giving them the ideas and showing them what to do. The first person to shout we should kill them is the FEDERAL AGENT.
April 28th, 2010 at 9:27 am
Yep. Can’t remember anything because nothing was really there.
April 28th, 2010 at 10:44 am
Any time your major charge is “conspiracy” you have a major, major problem with your proof.
April 28th, 2010 at 10:56 am
Nothing like blowing something out of proportion to get some headlines, especially if you can put some good political spin on it.
April 28th, 2010 at 11:11 am
How were we to know they were registered Democrats? Emily Litella, Secret Agent.
April 28th, 2010 at 11:24 am
Remember, folks: lying to the press is kosher; lying to the court is perjury. If the truth is bad for the case and a lie will get you sent to the slammer, then the only option left is to develop memory “issues”.
April 28th, 2010 at 11:30 am
This judge should free the accused, if for no other reason than the agent most familiar with the case can’t readily articulate a reason for their arrest.
April 28th, 2010 at 11:31 am
This judge should free the accused, if for no other reason than the agent most familiar with the case can’t readily articulate justifications for their arrest.
April 28th, 2010 at 5:24 pm
My guess is they have recording of a bunch of gun nuts goofing over the police, and making the usual cold dead hands threats, with an FBI informant trying to lead them all in a shoot the police and politicians chant.
April 28th, 2010 at 8:14 pm
That’s one more judge who doesn’t understand that our Constitution was written to protect citizens from exactly this kind of shit.
Packetman has it right. If the FBI can’t describe why the raid was conducted and produce evidence that it was warranted, the accused should be freed forthwith.
And that agent should be closely grilled about just why she was so “forgetful”.
April 28th, 2010 at 8:44 pm
Mariner and Packetman have it exactly right. The judge should dismiss the charges with prejudice, which means they can not be brought again.
April 28th, 2010 at 10:16 pm
And how do you spell COVERUP! When the head FBI acts dumb, well it’s time to release the suspects.
April 30th, 2010 at 10:44 am
Sort of reminds me of the BATF/Randy Weaver fiasco. This whole thing sounds fishy…Maybe the FBI PR people are looking to make a TV series from this…
Spiff