Militia Members Lose Appeal In Civil Rights Lawsuit Tied To FBI Probe
DETROIT (WWJ/AP) - Three members of a southern Michigan militia acquitted during a high-profile trial have failed to persuade an appeals court to reinstate a lawsuit against federal investigators.
Mike Meeks, Thomas Piatek and David Stone Jr. say FBI agents violated their constitutional rights during the investigation, which led to charges in 2010. But the appeals court on Tuesday agreed with a Detroit federal judge and upheld dismissal of the lawsuit.
The court says the threshold to show that officials clearly violated constitutional rights is very high. Some family members also sued.
Meeks, Piatek, Stone and four other members of the Hutaree militia were accused of conspiring to launch a violent rebellion against the government and other crimes.
Prosecutors said militia members wanted to kill a police officer then attack the funeral as part of a domestic war, while defense lawyers said the Hutaree were simply "weekend warriors" who engaged in stupid, hateful speech, but nothing criminal.
[Hutaree Member Says 'A Lot Of It Was Just Talk']
There was no actual attack.
Judge Victoria Roberts acquitted the group in 2012 before jury deliberations.
TM and © Copyright 2015 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2015 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
