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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsWhy were American Front leaders' bails so low?
The accused leaders of a white supremacist group who authorities say were preparing for a race war were given low bails, while eight other accused members faced $500,000 apiece.
Marcus Faella, named as the head of the American Front, posted $50,000 bail while his wife Patricia paid just $5,000 last weekend to leave the Osceola County Jail after their arrests by the FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Force, court records show.
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Marcus Faella's $50,000 bail appears unusually low as well, because he is accused in court records with trying to make ricin, a toxin described as a weapon of mass destruction. Faella is also accused of providing firearms and firearms training to ex-convicts in the American Front in violation of state and federal laws.
Last summer, the Faellas were accused of hosting white supremacists from across the country at their 10-acre compound in east Osceola County to train for what they believed would be an upcoming race war.
http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2012-05-11/news/os-american-front-supremacist-bond-20120511_1_jail-release-bond-white-supremacists
geckosfeet
(9,644 posts)by an honest judge.
They are trying to rectify the 'error'.
Why were American Front leaders' bails so low?
At 5 p.m. Friday, a spokeswoman for the Orange-Osceola Judicial Circuit announced Patricia Faella had been re-arrested.
"She is being arrested as we speak and bond will be re-set at $500,000," said Karen Levey.
According to Levey, Circuit Judge Walter Komanski had reviewed all of the cases and set bonds ranging from $50,000 to $500,000. After the arrests began, Judge Theotis Bronson handled the initial appearances but was unable to read some of the paperwork and was told by an assistant state attorney that "reasonable bond" was sought against Patricia Faella.
"Judge Bronson's intent was never to release her on $5,000," Levey said.
Why were American Front leaders' bails so low?
Baitball Blogger
(46,763 posts)This area is still a cow town that promotes from within. Big city population numbers, but small town networking. In other words, the people that get promoted to judgeships are not the brightest, fairest or most experienced. In Central Florida we just don't have the best people in place to face big city problems.
geckosfeet
(9,644 posts)I suppose they could be. But I generally associate white supremacists with the rural south.
I am sure that will irritate the usual defenders of the rural south, and I do not mean to indict them or let the "big cities" off the hook, but there it is.
Baitball Blogger
(46,763 posts)Last edited Sat May 12, 2012, 11:58 AM - Edit history (1)
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle through the Sherlock Holmes character brought the point home that crimes are easier to hide in the rural areas than in the city. At the time he was referring to the fact that in big cities there are more people, thus more eyes, ears and mouths.
And I have said, and even wrote an opinion piece to point out that the FBI and other legal agencies, as well as the political arm in Tallahassee have been ignoring Central Florida when it comes to law enforcement. They, instead, send public money and direct their focus on bigger cities. They do this at their own peril. At our peril.
White Supremacist groups will grow where there is an absence of legal oversight. And the tremendous lack of oversight in Central Florida, as well as a strong right-wing gun culture, has made us a ripe target for these kind of cult groups.
And then you add the fact that we do not have the best court system to handle these issues when they do come up. We are out of practice.
a la izquierda
(11,797 posts)egads!
People like these idiots make me ashamed to be human.
Baitball Blogger
(46,763 posts)Just to remind myself why I stopped going to the in-laws' house for Thanksgiving dinner.