Posted on 03/08/2016 6:04:35 AM PST by azkathy
A crowd of well over 100 people turned out at the hearing, and several New Hampshire lawmakers defended Jerry DeLemus, 61, of Rochester, telling a judge that he is a law-abiding peacemaker who deserves to be released on bail.
DeLemus is accused of being a "mid-level leader" and organizer of a conspiracy to recruit, organize, train and provide support to armed men and other followers of rancher Cliven Bundy.
DeLemus was among a dozen people in five states arrested last week, raising to 19 the number accused of inciting and leading an armed insurrection in April 2014 to stop a roundup of cows from public land near Cliven Bundy's ranch. Bundy was arrested last month.
Nearly 60 supporters packed one courtroom, and almost 60 more were in an overflow courtroom to support DeLemus.
His supporters came from a variety of backgrounds and political leanings, hoping to convince a judge to let him out of jail while he waits for his day in court.
"You have Trump people here, you have Cruz people here, you have Paul people here, you have Bernie people here, because we all love this family, truly," said Kathy Peterson, of Nashua.
Prosecutors admitted that DeLemus hadn't arrived on scene until after the standoff was over, but called him dangerous because he drove there with guns, including a .50-caliber sniper rifle.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Zuckerman said DeLemus should be considered dangerous in light of statements he made about his willingness to use deadly force against U.S. agents as he saw fit to fight the "lawless government."
Zuckerman also argued that someone who supported Bundy and his disregard for court orders is unlikely to comply with bail conditions and said the weapons DeLemus took to the ranch -- including a sniper's rifle designed to intimidate and kill -- were reason enough to consider him a public safety risk.
"With respect to dangerousness, I think our argument almost could begin and end with that weapon," he said.
Public defender Jonathan Saxe argued that DeLemus had nothing to do with the April confrontation and didn't know it had happened until he arrived later that night.
He questioned why authorities have let DeLemus remain free for two years if they consider him dangerous. The courtroom and an overflow room were packed with DeLemus's supporters, including a neighbor and three lawmakers who testified on his behalf. DeLemus' wife, Susan, is a state representative.
State representatives told the judge that DeLemus is a peaceful, honorable man who has never been arrested and is not a flight risk.
Rep. Warren Groen, a Republican who represents Rochester, described an incident four years ago when he and DeLemus were holding campaign signs and waving to cars on a city street. When protesters tried to disrupt the group, some of the Republicans were on the verge of starting a fistfight, he said, but DeLemus stepped in.
"Jerry stopped it all. He's not a peacekeeper; he's a peacemaker," Groen said. "He actually made peace where none existed."
Rep. John Burt, a Republican from Goffstown, called DeLemus "one of the most law-abiding Americans I've ever met." And his neighbor, a Democrat, said he personifies the notion of "random acts of kindness."
"Really, the main reason they arrested Jerry, the only reason is to send a message to me and all my friends, to don't try this," said Burt.
Neighbor Stephanie Monza, who said she's a "Bernie supporter," testified for the conservative Constitutionalist as well.
"I tend to have a knee-jerk reaction where he'd be more, 'Calm down and let's think about it,'" said Monza. "[DeLemus] is a very kind, family-oriented man. That's why I was here."
"Jerry is anything but violent," said Monza. "In 13 years, I've never seen that man upset."
His wife, State Rep. Susan DeLemus thanked supporters after the hearing. Some of his supporters got emotional.
"I would stand in his stead fast and allow him to be free with no problem, knowing that he would appear if I had to sit there and be incarcerated for him," said Joel Weinrebe, of Belmont.
The judge did not indicate when she would rule on whether to release DeLemus.
Thank You Pilgrim! This is my favorite picture. Adrianna set her little boy down to go speak and he ran right up to her so she just picked him up and carried on without skipping a beat. She did a great job. LaVoy taught his children well.
You are welcome.
Thanks for the photos!
That is a cute picture.
If you are a sniper, the enemy will never see you or the weapon.
(Note that "sniper rifle" might also include any decent hunting rifle as well, common in the open spaces of the West)
I will further contend that having a "sniper rifle" in proximity to where there was a standoff that has concluded is just as much a threat to the people who were at the standoff as having such a firearm in proximity to the the Little Big Horn Battlefield is a threat to General Custer. It isn't.
Anyone who lives near a battlefield or site of any historical event or robbery or other situation in the past would be able to be deemed a threat to someone with this logic, whether the event is centuries old or a few days.
We are there. The 4 AM 'knock on the door' is a reality, by the guys in black uniforms. The insignia are different, the intent the same--to intimidate people out of standing up against the Thugocracy that has replaced our legitimate Government. That there is precedent for this sort of behaviour makes it all the more a sad situation.
But the one thing the people pulling the strings underestimate is the character of Americans. When our servants try to intimidate us, historically, that has deepened our resolve to find them different employment.
The arrest of Jerry DeLemus is a direct attack on the Second Amendment.
He’s being charged with arming and training a militia.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.