An Alaska militia member convicted of conspiring to kill public officials and of amassing weapons was sentenced Monday to nearly 26 years in prison, when proceedings were disrupted by his frequent and profanity-laden outbursts questioning the authority of the court.
Judge Robert Bryan sentenced Lonnie Vernon, 57, during a nearly hour-long hearing at U.S. District Court in Anchorage on charges of conspiracy to murder federal officials and stockpiling weapons such as silencers and grenades for use in attacks.
In a far less dramatic hearing later Monday, his wife, Karen Vernon, 67, was sentenced to 12 years in prison. Before she was sentenced,
Karen Vernon apologized and said her "words and actions were not intended to harm anyone."
She also apologized "to family and friends for the shame and embarrassment this has all caused, and I mean that. I truly do."
You know I almost feel sorry for Mrs. Vernon. She is undoubtedly one of these women who adopts her husbands politics and belief systems and probably trusted that he knew what he was doing, and that they really were above the law.
Speaking of above the law, check out some of Vernon's lunatic ravings during the sentencing.
Throughout his hearing, Lonnie Vernon was vocal, demanding several times that prosecutors and the judge prove their jurisdiction over him.
"I want to find out who the hell you people really are," Vernon said. "Nobody has proved jurisdiction."
"I reside in the state of Alaska, not in your government realm. I am sovereign," Vernon said.
The militiaman steadfastly maintained his sovereign rights, and asked marshals to arrest prosecutors. "I want you to arrest these people until they prove who they are."
Bryan told him, "This court has jurisdiction over you. If you don't agree with it, you can take it to a higher court."
Vernon responded, "Better yet, let's take it to a lower court. The common law court."
Whoa Nelly! This guy is some piece of work!
"Dammit Why CAN'T I threaten a judge and local law enforcement officials, then claim immunity from your laws, and get off scott free"
I wonder if he will use the same tactic in prison? "You can't do that to me, I am a sovereign citizen of Alaska. Stop touching me there!" Somehow I don't think that will protect him from those enforcing jailhouse jurisdiction.
Tomorrow it's Schaeffer Cox's turn to be sentenced. If Lonnie Vernon received 26 years I think we can expect Schaeffer to get about ten years more than that. All things considered.
I certainly hope those militia assholes down in the lower forty-right are paying close attention. If that "sovereign citizen" shit won't fly in Alaska there is NO WAY it is going to work any better in Mississippi or Alabama.
Oh an by the way, Barack Obama is STILL the President. God I love saying that!
Sadly it will not be laid out as the 'example' in that it's not being reported on other than in AK by ADN, Dispatch & blogs like yours. It's been kept in the 'region' behind the curtain as all others 'outside' ignore it. The silence is deafening.
ReplyDelete3:58 Then we have the responsibility to get the information to the White House - the House and Senate members and to various national outlets such as Rachel Maddow, Rev. Sharpton, Chris Matthews, Lawrence O'Donnell and the Ed Show.
DeleteI'll bet the White House/Joe Biden has already been informed of this Alaska case to include the sentencing that went on yesterday and will today.
We all have a responsibility in providing the facts and information regarding things that go on here in Alaska. The national media isn't much interested in our state is a fact.
I actually heard someone on the some show this morning (cannot recall which one because I go through the channels just to see what is being said or covered (for about an hour) and then turn it off!
Some guy actually said Alaska should be sold back to the Russians! Sarah Palin has given us a horrid name, we have Captain Zero as governor who sues the federal government (not successfully!) every chance he gets and we have a very small population w/little influence.
Only because I read your blog, I'm know of this.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure word travels through the grapevine to those the same as them, but in the 'general public' arena nobody has a clue except in Alaska. Info travels to those of the same in many arenas when something happens whether it be this topic or financial or education. But to anyone outside the 'clique', no one has a clue it has been going on. The limited attention span of the media. And the media always blames the public as they would quickly again if the public pushed back demanding better coverage. The media always says they report 'what the people want' - Really? When the people don't know because of lack of reporting and their failure at their jobs, the media immediately respond with that usual tag line that they report what people want to deflect away from their failure. Like the Republicans - the media feel they are never at fault.
"The militiaman steadfastly maintained his sovereign rights, and asked marshals to arrest prosecutors."
ReplyDelete---------------------------
Well, if the marshals had the power to arrest prosecutors, why wouldn't they (and every other officer of the court) have power to arrest and try Vernon?
Gryphen:
ReplyDeleteGabby & Mark Giffords have kicked off their campaign today re guns & NRA called 'Americans for Responsible Solutions'.
"Our new campaign will launch a national dialogue and raise funds to counter influence of the gun lobby."
Americans for Responsible Solutions, which we are launching today, will invite people from around the country to join a national conversation about gun violence prevention, will raise the funds necessary to balance the influence of the gun lobby, and will line up squarely behind leaders who will stand up for what's right.
Here is link to op-ed in USA Today:
http://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2013/01/07/gabby-giffords-mark-kelly-tucson-shooting-gun-control/1816383/
Link to their website 'Americans for Responsible Solutions'
http://americansforresponsiblesolutions.org/
Giffords, Mark Kelly Launch Gun Control Initiative On Anniversary Of Tucson Shooting
ReplyDeleteFormer Rep. Gabby Giffords (D-AZ) and her husband Mark Kelly on Tuesday announced Americans for Responsible Solutions, a gun control initiative aimed at offsetting the National Rifle Association's outsized influence in American politics.
"Until now, the gun lobby's political contributions, advertising and lobbying have dwarfed spending from anti-gun violence groups," they wrote in a USA Today op-ed published on the second anniversary of the Tucson, Ariz. shooting. "No longer. With Americans for Responsible Solutions engaging millions of people about ways to reduce gun violence and funding political activity nationwide, legislators will no longer have reason to fear the gun lobby. Other efforts such as improving mental health care and opposing illegal guns are essential, but as gun owners and survivors of gun violence, we have a unique message for Americans."
http://livewire.talkingpointsmemo.com/entry/giffords-mark-kelly-launch-gun-control-initiative-on
The White House Just Set Gun Rights Activists Ablaze
ReplyDeleteOver the weekend, the Washington Post reported the gun violence task force led by Vice President Biden is considering gun legislation “far broader and more comprehensive…than simply reinstating an expired ban on assault weapons and high-capacity ammunition.”
News that the White House is considering significant gun control legislation in the wake of the Newtown, Conn. elementary school shooting is music to the ears of gun control advocates, who have waited decades for a serious conversation about guns. But it’s also being welcomed by gun rights groups, who say leaks from the Biden task force are just the thing to push their flock back into the fight.
“[The article] was a Molotov cocktail right into the middle of this thing,” Dave Workman, a former board member at the National Rifle Association, told TPM Monday. “That lit the fuse, it really did.”
http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2013/01/white-house-gun-rights-activists.php?ref=fpa
Gabrielle Giffords, Mark Kelly Launching Gun Control Initiative
ReplyDeleteFormer U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords and her husband launched a political action committee aimed at curbing gun violence on Tuesday, the second anniversary of the Tucson shooting that killed six people and left her critically injured.
Giffords and Mark Kelly wrote in an op-ed published in USA Today that their Americans for Responsible Solutions initiative would help raise money to support greater gun control efforts.
"Achieving reforms to reduce gun violence and prevent mass shootings will mean matching gun lobbyists in their reach and resources," they wrote in the column.
They said that it will "raise funds necessary to balance the influence of the gun lobby."
The move was hinted at in Kelly's recent comments that he and Giffords want to become a prominent voice for gun control efforts.
The couple last week visited Newtown, Conn., where a gunman opened fire in an elementary school, killing 20 children and six adults in December. They also met with New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, a gun control advocate.
The couple was expected to discuss the initiative in an interview airing Tuesday on ABC News. The network offered a preview of the interview Monday and during "Good Morning America" on Tuesday. Kelly described a meeting with a father of a Connecticut victim in which he "just about lost it" after the parent showed him a picture of his child.
When asked by Sawyer about when such violence happens to school children, Giffords responded: "Enough."
In the op-ed piece, Kelly and Giffords discussed what they deem lawmakers' inaction on curbing gun violence.
"In response to a horrific series of shootings that has sown terror in our communities, victimized tens of thousands of Americans, and left one of its own bleeding and near death in a Tucson parking lot, Congress has done something quite extraordinary – nothing at all," Giffords and Kelly wrote in the op-ed.
"This country is known for using its determination and ingenuity to solve problems, big and small. Wise policy has conquered disease, protected us from dangerous products and substances, and made transportation safer. But when it comes to protecting our communities from gun violence, we're not even trying – and for the worst of reasons."
They hope to start a national conversation about gun violence and raise funds for political activity, so "legislators will no longer have reason to fear the gun lobby."
"The children of Sandy Hook Elementary School and all victims of gun violence deserve fellow citizens and leaders who have the will to prevent gun violence in the future," they wrote.
more...
http://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2013/01/07/gabby-giffords-mark-kelly-tucson-shooting-gun-control/1816383/
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/08/gabrielle-giffords_n_2430779.html
Speaking of *ssh*les, here is contender for *ssh*le of the year!
ReplyDeleteFrom Connecticut no less!
http://everythingpossiblehappens.blogspot.com/2013/01/biggest-gop-hole-of-year-debralee-hovey.html
The link did not work but will if you just go to as it is the article presently posted.
Deletehttp://everythingpossiblehappens.blogspot.com/
I just copied and pasted it from my post: It works, but anyway you can get there is fine.
DeleteThe stunned bitch has 'apologized' -- in otherwords, she's walking it back because she got called out by many -- not because she means it. Her excuse is total BS.
Delete"My comments were meant to be protective of the privacy of the families and our community as we work to move on, and were in no way intended as an insult to Congresswoman Giffords personally. Our community has struggled greatly through this tragedy, and we are all very sensitive to the potential for this event to be exploited for political purposes. This is what I wish to avoid," she added.
She appears to be like Palin -- she has brain farts on a normal basis forgetting that Gabby 'can relate'.
What a stunned, stupid, brainless freaking bitch. And this is me being kind!!!
http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/01/08/16407588-conn-politician-apologizes-after-saying-giffords-should-stay-out-of-my-towns?lite
These are the rill Americans Sarah Palin is talking about - her America, where if they don't like the way America's inherent wealth and opportunity go their way for them to exploit - then damn them, arrest them or take away their First Amendment rights and force prayer and abstinence on them also too. Track is a combat soldier, good family man of 18 months fighting for our rights after all.
ReplyDeleteWe don't recognize your lamestream media, but we want you to print all about our lame accomplishments.
We don't recognize your authority, but we want Law Enforcement to arrest the prosecutors.
The cognitive dissonance is really incredible with these people. Sarah's people. Todd's people.
5:20 a.m. - Track has been proven to have NOT been a combat soldier! Another lie that sister Sarah put out there as to her supposed support of our military. She's a liar and fraud as usual to include statements about her kids! Friggin' amazing!
DeleteStanley McChrystal: Gun Control Requires 'Serious Action'
ReplyDeleteRetired Gen. Stanley McChrystal came out in favor of gun control restrictions in a Tuesday morning appearance on MSNBC's "Morning Joe."
"I spent a career carrying typically either a M16, and later a M4 carbine," he said. "And a M4 carbine fires a .223 caliber round, which is 5.56 millimeters, at about 3,000 feet per second. When it hits a human body, the effects are devastating. It's designed to do that. That's what our soldiers ought to carry."
Said McChrystal, "I personally don't think there's any need for that kind of weaponry on the streets and particularly around the schools in America. I believe that we've got to take a serious look -- I understand everybody's desire to have whatever they want -- but we have to protect our children and our police and we have to protect our population. And I think we have to take a very mature look at that."
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/08/stanley-mcchrystal-gun-control_n_2431063.html
Nah, nah, nah, hey, hey, hey, GOODBYE!
ReplyDeleteFecking asshat, wanna be toy soldiers.
I'm sure they won't use that illegal gubment system that doesn't apply to them to appeal.
Should have moved to Somalia instead of Alaska. No, really, you should have.
Alaska when is Todd and Sarah Palin's court date and imprisonment?
ReplyDeleteGIT ER DONE!
Now this would be a real treat!!
DeleteIf I were those militia girls I would plea bargain and tell everything I know about all the Palin's crimes for a reduced sentence.
ReplyDeleteThese Alaska militia men snd Todd Palin's Alaska Independence Party boys..... are they the same retards?
ReplyDeleteThey love sovereign citizens in prison.
ReplyDeleteIs there any truth to the Wasilla rumors that a certain family turned in the militia gang in exchange for clemency for their own problems with the authorities?
ReplyDeleteCox just got 310 months too!
ReplyDelete