Militia members get decades in prison in Kansas bomb plot

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Associated Press

Roxana Hegeman, Associated Press
Updated 6:55 pm CST, Friday, January 25, 2019



Photo: AP
FILE - This combination of Oct. 14, 2016, file booking photos provided by the Sedgwick County Sheriff's Office in Wichita, Kan., shows from left, Patrick Stein, Curtis Allen and Gavin Wright, three members of a Kansas militia group who were charged with plotting to bomb an apartment building filled with Somali immigrants in Garden City, Kan. The three militia men could face life in prison for a foiled plot to blow up a mosque and apartments housing Somali immigrants in Kansas. A federal judge will sentence Stein, Wright and Allen on Friday, Jan. 25, 2019. (Sedgwick County Sheriff's Office via AP, File)

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Three militia members convicted of taking part in a foiled plot to massacre Muslims in southwest Kansas were sentenced Friday to decades in prison during an emotional court hearing in which one of the targeted victims pleaded: "Please don't hate us."

U.S. District Judge Eric Melgren sentenced Patrick Stein, the alleged ringleader, to 30 years in prison and Curtis Allen, who drafted a manifesto for the group, to 25 years. Gavin Wright, who authorities said helped make and test explosives at his mobile home business, received 26 years. The plot was foiled after another militia member alerted authorities.

Melgren dismissed defense attorneys' request that he take into the account the divisive political atmosphere in which the men formed their plot to blow up a mosque and apartments housing Somali immigrants in the meatpacking town Garden City, about 220 miles (355 kilometers) west of Wichita, on the day after the 2016 election.

. . .

Stein's attorneys have argued that he believed then-President Barack Obama would declare martial law and not recognize the validity of the election if Donald Trump won, forcing militias to step in. Stein's attorneys noted that during the 2016 campaign, all three men read and shared Russian propaganda on their Facebook feed designed to sow discord in the U.S. political system.

Read more: https://www.chron.com/news/crime/article/3-militia-members-face-sentencing-in-Kansas-bomb-13560465.php

[Crutchez_CuiBono]

1. "forcing militias to step in"

Uh...no thanks. We don't need your 'help'. Justice you're not.

[pecosbob]

2. Uhhh...

Stein's attorneys noted that during the 2016 campaign, all three men read and shared Russian propaganda on their Facebook feed designed to sow discord in the U.S. political system.

Sounds like a potential reason to charge them with a separate conspiracy to violate U.S election laws and not a reason for leniency to me.

[Crutchez_CuiBono]

3. Plus that "hate crime' multiplier.

[ck4829]

9. +1

[NBachers]

4. Another reason to be grateful for today.

[BigmanPigman]

5. I can't believe the defense

"Melgren dismissed defense attorneys' request that he take into the account the divisive political atmosphere in which the men formed their plot to blow up a mosque and apartments housing Somali immigrants..."

Sure, blame the divisive political climate that their hero is responsible for. They should get more time for that idiotic defense alone.

[KY_EnviroGuy]

6. Clearly demonstrates the brainwashing power of right-wing dogma....

with the help of Russian propaganda sources.

Lemme guess - prior to these guy's involvement in this conspiracy, the good people of Garden City considered these three men as hard-working, outstanding citizens. Therein lies our problem. No way in hell they did all this without others in the community knowing, and for quite a long time.

I can't believe the shit the defense tried to pull to justify these crimes (from Chron.com):

Attorney Jim Pratt told the judge that for years Stein had immersed himself in right-wing media and commentators, who normalized hate.
------
The judge told all three men that the planned attack was worse than the Oklahoma City bombing because the Garden City plot was motivated by hatreds of race, religion and national origin.

This cancer on our society has not ended. People like Trump, Limbaugh and Hannity and organizations like Faux News and Sinclaire Broadcasting are still normalizing hate and inducing fear into our citizens every single day.

Thank goodness for Judge Melgren and the guy that tipped off authorities.........

[byronius]

7. "Russian Propaganda."

The weakest and least educated were the target.

Intelligent act of war.

Oh wait, not so intelligent after all.

Fuckers.

[Progressive Jones]

8. Being a racist loser isn't a defense. nt

[llmart]

10. Three down, thousands to go.

This country needs to get a handle on the "news" outlets on radio/TV/internet that allow hate filled people to spew their hatred 24/7/365. Free speech doesn't mean anything goes. Let's not forget the people and children in their daycare that were killed by two hateful men spurred on by constantly channeling Rush Limbaugh.

[oldlibdem]

11. Let that be a lesson to these right wing nutters!

I hope these assholes do every fuckin' second of their sentence!

[Nitram]

12. TERRORISTS.

Send them to Gitmo.

[Scurrilous]

13. K&R

[lagomorph777]

14. "defense attorneys' request that he take into the account the divisive political atmosphere"

In other words, the defense attorney is blaming Trump. As do I. But these fuckers should still rot in jail.