Militia Documentary Off Target?
There has been a little flurry in the news about an upcoming documentary in the works featuring Schaeffer Cox, and the Alaska Peacemakers Militia. The film about “Plan 241” is spearheaded by filmmaker Joshua Ligouri, but any reporting on it so far has been brief and peripheral. Let’s take a closer look. Here is the “sizzle reel” for the proposed film. Schaeffer Cox To some, Schaeffer Cox is a domestic terrorist, who conspired with members of his Alaska Peacemakers Militia to murder employees of the federal government including a judge, and amassed an arsenal of illegal weapons he’d use to…
Militia Leader Cox Gets 25 Years
“Well, this proves one thing. Schaeffer Cox can still draw a crowd.” Reporter Michael Carey made the observation while sitting next to me on a wooden bench in the lobby outside Courtroom 2 in the federal courthouse in Anchorage this morning. It’s true. At the end of the day, Cox will be sentenced to 25 years, 10 months in prison, and his new lawyer will reveal the results of a recent psychological evaluation that diagnoses him for the first time as a paranoid schizophrenic, with paranoid personality disorder, and delusional personality disorder. But as the day begins, the courtroom is…
High Drama at Militia Sentencing
Today is the sentencing for the Salcha couple accused of conspiring to murder a judge and his family, and IRS agents as they anticipated seizure of their home due to a tax dispute. Lonnie Vernon is also being sentenced for his role in the “2-4-1 Militia trial” with co-defendants militia leader Schaeffer Cox, and militia Major Coleman Barney. Lonnie Vernon plead guilty of conspiring to murder the judge in exchange for the dismissal of many of the charges against him. Of all the characters in this tale, Lonnie Vernon is the most volatile and angry, and Karen Vernon is the…
Feds Ask for 35 Years for Militia Leader
Federal prosecutors have asked that Judge Robert Bryan sentence convicted militia leader Schaeffer Cox of Fairbanks, to 35 years in prison. Cox, a 28-year old father of two who founded the Alaska Peacemakers Militia, would be 63 years old when released if prosecutors get their way. Unhappy with his representation during the trial, Cox fired his sometimes lackluster attorney, Nelson Traverso, soon after the conviction. His new Seattle-based attorney, Peter Camiel, has indicated that he will ask for a sentence of 10 years for his client. Cox has already served almost two years in prison since his arrest on March…
Militia Major Sentenced to Five Years
Another day in court that brings us closer to the end of the Fairbanks militia trial. Today saw the sentencing of militia Major Coleman Barney, and also a status conference with Lonnie and Karen Vernon that left more questions than answers. For those wanting to cut to the chase, Coleman Barney was sentenced to five years in prison, half the time of the ten year sentence the prosecution was seeking, but hardly the house arrest, or time served sought by the defense. How they arrived at the sentence was fascinating, though, and all the details are below. LONNIE AND KAREN…
Vernons Plead Guilty to Conspiracy
Lonnie Vernon, 56, and Karen Vernon 66, a couple from Salcha, Alaska, wore matching yellow jumpsuits when they appeared in court to plead guilty to count 1 of an 8 count indictment, conspiring to murder federal officials – Judge Ralph Beistline, and IRS officer Janice Stowell. Beistline had ruled against the couple in a tax case in which Stowell was also involved. Lonnie Vernon was one of three defendants, with Schaeffer Cox and Coleman Barney, in the recent 2-4-1 Fairbanks militia trial, where he was found guilty of conspiracy to commit murder of federal employees, and conspiracy to posses silencers…
Militia Defendant & Wife Will Change Plea
Lonnie Vernon, one of three defendants in the recent 2-4-1 militia trial, and his wife Karen, are currently charged with an alleged plot to murder a federal judge overseeing a tax case against the couple. According to court documents filed on Thursday, they will be changing their pleas on Monday in U.S. District Court. Of the eight counts against them, it is unclear which plea(s) they will change. There were eight counts filed against Lonnie Vernon including charges of conspiracy to murder federal officials, threatening to murder family members of a federal judge, conspiracy to possess an unregistered firearm and…
Militia Trial – The Verdicts are In
After six weeks of listening to testimony, and weighing the evidence, the jury in the case of the United States v. Schaeffer Cox, Coleman Barney, and Lonnie Vernon has reached a decision in all but one of the charges against the three. I entered the courtroom, after almost two weeks out of state. I’d been following the reports of the trial closely, and was glad to be able to be here for this important day. Schaeffer Cox looks ashen, and is wearing a charcoal grey suit jacket and white shirt, open at the collar. Coleman Barney’s brow is deeply…
Militia Trial: Cox’s 2nd in Command Testifies
FBI informant Bill Fulton was the star of the show on the last day of court this week, no doubt about that. But, we shouldn’t overlook the rest of the witnesses because there were some good ones. The morning started with motions from the defense, which the judge resolved by mid-morning. I wrote about that HERE. Next up were a string of witnesses for the defense, beginning with Mr. Harold M. Hume, Jr. of Fairbanks who was completely adorable, and I basically wanted to adopt him as my grandpa. He’s actually probably closer to being the age of my dad,…
Militia Trial: The Tale Of The Tape
After having been in court for a couple weeks, I’ve had the occasion to meet many people associated with the trial, and they have been kind enough to share their observations with me regarding times I’ve missed. I learned several things I’m going to share, but first off, guess how militia leader Schaeffer Cox first met FBI informant JR Olson? You’ll never guess, so I’ll tell you. It was at a political fundraiser for… wait for it… Rep. Tammie Wilson of North Pole. Small state. I am in court for the second day that JR Olson is on the stand…