Conspiracist violence targeted at police failed the legal test of seditious conspiracy.

Evidence

On March 27, 2012, to the surprise of many, Judge Roberts granted the defense motion for acquittal. That effectively meant, fi rst, that all of the charges carrying the most severe sentences were now off the table; second, of the seven defendants, only two now faced remaining charges involving violations of fi rearms laws, carrying far lighter sentences. The others were free. Since the outcome was the result of a motion before the court, the case had never reached the jury. … Judge Roberts concluded that David Stone, Sr., and the other defendants might have hated the federal government but since, as far as she could tell, they had no specifi c plan to go to war against it, their plot failed the test of seditious conspiracy. — Michael Barkun, A Culture of Conspiracy, 961

Categorization

• XREF: connects to: The Oklahoma City bombing exposed militia conspiracy subculture to mainstream attention — Michael Barkun, A Culture of Conspiracy: Apocalyptic…, 399; Police seized videos but failed to substantiate allegations. — Lynley Hood, A City Possessed, 2272

Broader Connections

• Police seized videos but failed to substantiate allegations. #complicates (0.75) — Lynley Hood, A City Possessed, 2272