The U.S. Justice Department indicted 12 members of an Amish sect for shaving the hair and beards of non-sect Amish people. A grand jury indicted the Amish sect's leader, Samuel Mullet, Sr., along with 11 other followers.
The defendants were charged with violations of the federal hate crime law (the Matthew Shepard-James Byrd Hate Crimes Prevention Act), which carries a potential life sentence. The defendants were also charged with obstruction of justice.
The alleged crimes were the result of religious disputes with other Ohio Amish people. The defendants are accused of planning and carrying out assaults "on their perceived religious enemies."
According to authorities, "The assaults all entailed using scissors and battery-powered clippers to forcibly cut or shave the beard hair of the male victims and the head hair of the female victims. During each assault, the defendants restrained and held down the victims."
After the assaults, some of the defendants are accused of concealing or attempting to conceal evidence including a camera, photographs, "and an over-the-counter medication that was allegedly placed in the drink of one of the assault victims."
The way that Amish men wear their beards and Amish women wear their hair are symbols of their faith. That's why someone cutting their hair and beards can be considered a hate crime.
"Every American has the right to worship in the manner of his or her choosing without fear of violent interference," said Thomas Perez, assistant attorney general for the Department of Justice's Civil Rights Division.
UPDATE 2/12/13: Mullet and 15 of his followers were found guilty in connection with the attacks. Mullet was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison. Four of the followers were sentenced to seven years in prison, three were sentenced to five years, two were sentenced to two years, and six received sentences of a year and a day.
Sign up for my free ebook revealing the Top 7 Mistakes Made by Writers of Crime, Mystery, and Legal Drama. You can also sign up for a free printable and portable Miranda Warnings Card, which lists the Miranda rights as the police are required to read to arrestees before quetioning them.
The defendants were charged with violations of the federal hate crime law (the Matthew Shepard-James Byrd Hate Crimes Prevention Act), which carries a potential life sentence. The defendants were also charged with obstruction of justice.
The alleged crimes were the result of religious disputes with other Ohio Amish people. The defendants are accused of planning and carrying out assaults "on their perceived religious enemies."
According to authorities, "The assaults all entailed using scissors and battery-powered clippers to forcibly cut or shave the beard hair of the male victims and the head hair of the female victims. During each assault, the defendants restrained and held down the victims."
After the assaults, some of the defendants are accused of concealing or attempting to conceal evidence including a camera, photographs, "and an over-the-counter medication that was allegedly placed in the drink of one of the assault victims."
The way that Amish men wear their beards and Amish women wear their hair are symbols of their faith. That's why someone cutting their hair and beards can be considered a hate crime.
"Every American has the right to worship in the manner of his or her choosing without fear of violent interference," said Thomas Perez, assistant attorney general for the Department of Justice's Civil Rights Division.
UPDATE 2/12/13: Mullet and 15 of his followers were found guilty in connection with the attacks. Mullet was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison. Four of the followers were sentenced to seven years in prison, three were sentenced to five years, two were sentenced to two years, and six received sentences of a year and a day.
Sign up for my free ebook revealing the Top 7 Mistakes Made by Writers of Crime, Mystery, and Legal Drama. You can also sign up for a free printable and portable Miranda Warnings Card, which lists the Miranda rights as the police are required to read to arrestees before quetioning them.
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