An Alaska militia group member found guilty of weapons charges was sentenced Monday to five years in federal prison in a case involving others convicted of conspiring to kill government officials.
Coleman Barney of North Pole held his head in his hands and sniffled loudly while he waited for U.S. District Judge Robert Bryan to impose the sentence Monday in Anchorage.
"I think you got into some real bad stuff here, and this sentence reflects it," Bryan said.
Barney, 38, and two other defendants have been in custody since their March 2011 arrests. The judge said Barney's time already served will count toward his term.
Before he was sentenced, Barney apologized for making poor choices and decisions. A member of the Mormon church, he said he loved his country and that the militia started out as a group of "wonderful Christian men" who wanted to protect their families in case of a collapse. He said he got caught up in the hype and said things he didn't mean.
Barney asked the judge to let him go back to his family.
"There won't ever be any problems with me," he said. "I'm not a violent man."
Yeah I actually don't think that Barney is a particularly violent man either, but that does NOT mean he would not have injured, or possibly killed someone if Schaeffer Cox had convinced him that they were in danger. These men were living off paranoia and fear, and there is no telling what they might have been capable of if the Feds, or Alaska law enforcement, had shown up at the wrong time.
By they way is anybody else struck by how easily it seems that "wonderful Christian men" can embrace violence under the right circumstances?
What about Sarah and Todd?
ReplyDeleteOr were they granted immunity for snitching?
You asked:
ReplyDelete"By they way is anybody else struck by how easily it seems that "wonderful Christian men" can embrace violence under the right circumstances?"
It should be consider "extremist," just as with radical Islamists ~ and one really shouldn't judge ALL by a few misguided individuals . . . as that, in my view, would be kinda juvenile.
I agree with the extremist issue, but I also think you are exceptionally juvenile in your response. Calling names simply is unattractive and shows you to be rather pettily peeved and irritated by the "Christian men" reference. As a person who is exceptionally offended by the truly traitorous behavior of the Alaska militia, I find the fact they believe their behavior was "Christian" to be beyond the pale. But, I am an atheist and also think most Christians are Christian because it appeals to the very basic human need humans have had for millions of years that it is imperative to belong to a tribe to survive. I think the sooner we get beyond this imaginary need to cluster up in a tribe that believes in the same magical irrational thought the world will be a better place for all of us.
DeleteThere you go ASSuming that you know the thoughts of the poster at 1:18, therefore your irrationality seems a trifle palinesque. Have you ever stopped to consider that your "none-belief" could bea bit faulty?
DeleteNo, seriously.
It's spelled non-belief and many of us have it. I don't feel the need to huddle scared of a daddy figure in a building of stone nor bowing to some imaginary sky fairy 7 times a day. I don;'t have to restrict my diet due to ancient beliefs about food safety (that is where the Jewish dietary prohibitions about pork came about).
DeleteI live my life knowing right from wrong because that's how I was brought up in an atheist household (I am 54). I don't do what is right out of fear but out of the sense that is is right.
What bullshit! They weren't "good Christian men" to begin with.
ReplyDeleteI run like hell from people who call themselves Christians. If you have to tell people this, then you aren't living up to your faith.
ReplyDeleteMore evil has been done in the name of religion in the world than just about any thing else. I consider myself spiritual, but these animals have ruined the meaning of Christianity.
As I recall Barney's wife was behind his participation in the militia 100% and even bought him a rifle he wanted.
ReplyDeletePerhaps Barney may be a guy that is easily influenced by other people and his church.... He now has plenty of time to reflect.
Now most likely his wife will turn to the government for assistance and it will be there for her...isn't it ironic.
All in the name of religion - spouting the fact they are good christian people. We are becoming less and less a 'christian' nation and it is because of idiots like these!
ReplyDeleteTodd and Sarah need to go to the slammer too. They are not as 'white as the driven snow' as they try to project!
5 years with credit for 1 1/2 years already served means a year or so in prison, sometimes less down here in California. I don't know how they do it up there or if the overcrowding is as bad.
ReplyDeletefive years out of the gene pool....eh.
ReplyDeleteHe's a Mormon? Has that Mitt been pallin' around with Alaska terrorists?
ReplyDeleteSomebody alert attack dog Sarah...oh wait, she likes these people. Somebody alert Fox News that their rating grabber is a domestic terrorist....or is that part of her allure?
OMG. Romney should ask McCain how it felt to be overshadowed also too there about this time in his race.
ReplyDeletehttp://gawker.com/5946392/mitt-romney-stops-supporters-from-chanting-ryan-to-ensure-they-say-his-name-too
I laughed so hard when this was on television earlier, it shows Romney's ego got bruised bad, poor Mittiot!
DeleteYeah, the McCain analogy is spot on!
You know Willard is toast when his own VP candidate calls him Stench.
Delete"There won't ever be any problems with me," he said. "I'm not a violent man." Yeah, like the Halloween costume and machine gun wasn't enough to convince me.
ReplyDeleteWhat a fucking buffoon.
If he was an anarchist and member of the weather underground he wouldn't been pardoned and invited to the white house
ReplyDeleteBet you wish there was a way to edit your post, huh?
DeleteAhhhh It's falin' sooo herd.
DeleteI always love when any of em, all of em, get caught. They're just misunderstood, he's not a violent man, heck, all he did was fall in with a bad crowd, bought a gun, made threats - hey, we all have bad days, right?
ReplyDeletePoor, poor Christian Mormon fella. I bet you've had time to consider your mistakes? 5 years isn't nearly long enough to help some poor societal reject understand how his life went so badly astray from his Christian, Mormon upbringing. But, I bet he's truly repentant. Truly. Yeah, right.
ReplyDelete