Posted on 09/11/2004 6:23:32 PM PDT by AdamSelene235
BRIGHTON - Gun-rights activist Rick Stanley, a Denver businessman and former Libertarian candidate for the U.S. Senate, was sentenced to six years in prison Friday for threatening two judges.
Stanley, 49, owner of Stanley Fastener & Shop Supply in northeast Denver, was taken from Adams County District Court in handcuffs.
"When you really analyze it, this is an assault on the very system of justice in this country," said presiding Judge Joseph R. Quinn, a retired state Supreme Court justice.
Stanley's attorney, Brett Davies, said the punishment was "worse" than expected.
"They've made a monster out of him," Davies said.
In addition to prison time - three years each for the two judges - Stanley was sentenced to six years of mandatory parole and ordered to pay $10,000 in fines, plus $8,250 restitution to police who worked overtime to protect the judges. Quinn set an $80,000 bond and said Stanley must be monitored by the court until his appeal is resolved.
Unlike previous court appearances, in which hallways and doorways were crowded with police and a SWAT team and metal detectors were deployed, there was no extra security at the courthouse Friday.
Davies gave the judge 89 letters of support for Stanley "attesting to his good moral character." "Free Rick Stanley" signs dotted roadways.
Stanley was found guilty in late June of two felony counts of attempting to influence a public official. He was accused of sending Thornton Municipal Judge Charles J. Rose and 17th Judicial District Judge Donald W. Marshall Jr. a "notice of order" demanding that they reverse his conviction for a weapons violation or face arrest by Stanley's Mutual Defense Pact Militia and a trial for treason.
Rose had convicted Stanley and sentenced him to 90 days in jail for carrying a firearm onto public property while campaigning in 2002 in Thornton. Marshall upheld the conviction when Stanley appealed.
Stanley argued that his sentence and record should have have been voided after Gov. Bill Owens signed a law limiting local governments from regulating firearms.
Stanley also was arrested in Denver in 2001 for carrying a loaded handgun in a holster at a Bill of Rights rally. In June, Stanley's home and business were raided by the Internal Revenue Service.
"I think Rick Stanley in prison is where Rick Stanley belongs," said Adams County District Attorney Robert Grant.
Stanley spoke before the sentencing.
"I was violated by men who have no honor or integrity," Stanley said. "The only victim here is Rick Stanley, on behalf of every American."
Rose also spoke before sentencing, referring to Stanley as "the felon."
"Never have I been so personally attacked verbally or threatened with bodily harm," Rose said. Rose described Stanley as a "paranoid demagogue with delusions of grandeur."
At one point, Rose asked Stanley to "call off the dogs."
Davies said that other than the events leading up to the sentencing - and four speeding tickets - Stanley has a clean record. Davies said his client has a right to free speech.
"There have been no overt threats of violence," Davies said.
That can happen when you threaten a judge.
If Mr. Stanley threatened those judges and did, in fact, carry illegally, he ain't doing the 2A any favors. We don't need self-styled patriot hot-heads. I'd need to see more information to jump on the 'Free-Stanley' band wagon.
OTOH, when judges finally toss out the Constitution, then, I suppose, there will be NO ruling legal authority and things might change a bit...
Meanwhile, you put up a website advocating killing the president and what happens....
Agree BTW. Just curious what those people got.
Lunatics on both sides. Happily, ours are rare enough to make the papers.
Wait!?!, THEY have Gore, Kerry, Clinton(s), Kennedy...
OK, its a wash.
This is unfortunate.
The persecution of the Second Amendment, and peoples' fierce defense thereof, sometimes stresses people to the point that they snap or go over the edge.
A crime was certainly committed, but I still feel that a Tyrannical State had much to do with why the crime occurred.
Absent the Tyranny, there would have been no crime committed, IMHO.
I agree.
Stanley gets 10 out of 10 for style but minus a thousand for common sense.
He's not a danger to society nor does he deserve to be imprisoned.
This guy is an absolute flake.
He's simply proof of why Libertarians will never be a politial force.
Good to have one less nutcase running the streets in Colorado.
That is, without doubt, an absolutely nutball thing to do. I, as a free American, do not want some nutball running around with a "mutual defense pact," I want political power. All you get with "mutual defense pacts" is shot.
Silly thing to do.
Your screen name and your comment seem to give me an insight to your beliefs. Are you pro 2nd Amendment?
If he can't take the heat...
Typical of most judges today. They think they're above it all while they usurp the Constitution and ruin citizens lives.
The persecution of the Second Amendment, and peoples' fierce defense thereof, sometimes stresses people to the point that they snap or go over the edge.
I can agree with that. He certainly didn't help himself with his statements at the sentencing.
On the other hand, I probably have less sympathy for the militia/freedmen/Texas Republic folks than do some of the posters here. They are sometimes (not always) looking for a confrontation rather than having one thrust upon them.
I'm not sure I understand your comment.
Nutcase; people like him erode rights faster than acid eats flesh.
Now how could anyone find that threatening? He should have gone for an insanity plea and taken a few years doing watercolors in a hospital.
A Columbine is the Colorado State flower. I was once a member of a Colorado Columbine group before people like you started associating the word with guns.
However, I am pro-2nd Amendment as the .38 resting on my nightstand can attest.
I'm also pro rule-of-law and anyone who threatens a judge is an idiot who deserves to do time for stupidity if nothing else.
I hope that clarifies your insight.
As a taypaying American, methinks 6 years is a long time for somebody who did not harm anyone nor have any credible plans to harm anyone.
This was the capper. Stanley has been in and out of the Colorado judicial system for five years.
He likely got this sentence because these judges are just sick of seeing him.
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.