Government wants Amish man to stay in jail
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The Justice Department has asked a federal appellate court to keep Amish sect leader Sam Mullet locked up, saying he orchestrated a series of beard-cutting attacks on other Amish and is a risk to the public should he be let out pending trial in Cleveland on federal hate-crimes charges.
In a brief filed with the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, federal prosecutors said two previous hearings have shown that Mr. Mullet, 66, "poses a serious risk of danger to others and the community."
His public defender, Ed Bryan, is appealing a detention order by U.S. District Judge Dan Polster in Cleveland. Judge Polster's decision upheld an earlier detention order by a federal magistrate in Youngstown, Ohio.
In his filing with the higher court last week, Mr. Bryan said the Justice Department was trying to portray Mr. Mullet as a "mysterious cult leader with supernatural powers" but could not back up its assertions that he is dangerous or won't show up for future court proceedings.
Justice lawyers said yesterday, however, that Mr. Mullet has complete control over his community in Bergholz, Ohio, and was directly involved in five religiously motivated beard-cutting attacks. They said they also don't want to risk a potential confrontation with Mr. Mullet and his followers should U.S. marshals be forced to go to Bergholz to re-arrest him should he not appear for court.
Mr. Mullet and 11 others -- all of them related to him in some way -- are under indictment and facing trial next month in Cleveland.
First Published February 14, 2012 1:03 pm
