One of Schaeffer Cox's co-defendants has been released. But THAT is not the most interesting part of the story.

Micheal O. Anderson

Courtesy of the Fairbanks Newsminer:

Michael O. Anderson was released Tuesday after he complied with the subpoena, according to a release order. He faced no criminal charges, but spent a week in jail because a judge signed a material witness warrant, ruling something stronger than a subpoena was needed to secure Anderson’s testimony at grand jury. 

Earlier this year, Anderson was a co-defefendent with Cox and three others and spent a seven-month stint in the Fairbanks Correctional Center under a now-defunct state case that accused them of making a plan to kill Alaska State Troopers and court officials. 

Anderson was released in October after an Alaska judge ruled that evidence obtained by an FBI informant in the case was not admissible in state court. All state charges were withdrawn. 

However though though the idea of a potential terrorist being released back into the general population in Alaska is troubling, it is this next part of the article which contains a very interesting revelation.


On Friday the grand jury handed down a new indictment against Cox, Barney and Lonnie Vernon. The new indictment does not include any new charges but adds to three paragraphs of allegations submitted as evidence against the defendants. The new indictment alleges Cox was working on a plan to kill government workers earlier than previously alleged, as far back as fall 2009, well before the FBI sent informants Gerald “JR” Olson and Bill Fulton to investigate Cox’s militia in 2010. 

Of course this is VERY damaging to Cox's defense since much of it is focused on the claim that the idea of  kidnapping and killing those law enforcement professionals, or to do any harm whatsoever, was first introduced by the FBI informants.

I happen to know that there are reams of taped evidence that is going to be VERY difficult for these potential murderers to explain away. And the idea that any of it actually HELPS Schaeffer Cox and his fellow domestic terrorists is a false argument which does not bode well for the defense.

But it does bode well for justice, and the people of Alaska.