WANTED MILITIA LEADER SURRENDERS

Lexington Herald-Leader ^ | Fri, Apr. 05, 2002 | Louise Taylor and Greg Kocher

[toddst]

Posted on Fri, Apr. 05, 2002 WANTED MILITIA LEADER SURRENDERS PUCKETT HAD FLED FROM HOUSE ARREST By Louise Taylor and Greg Kocher HERALD-LEADER STAFF WRITERS

Charlie Puckett, the commander of the Kentucky State Militia, quietly turned himself in to authorities yesterday after three weeks on the lam and was promptly lodged in the Fayette County jail.

During a brief hearing in U.S. District Court, Puckett's attorney, Gatewood Galbraith, stipulated that his client had slipped out of an electronic monitor and "absconded" from house arrest on March 13.

"We don't want to insult this court's intelligence," Galbraith told Magistrate Judge James Todd.

Puckett vanished late March 13, perhaps inspired to flee because that same night a note was left on the door of his Garrard County home saying he "was going to be the target of an assassination attempt by federal agents," Galbraith said outside court.

"Agents provocateurs may have planted the note," Galbraith said, explaining that another militia group, Republic of Texas, has been trying to tell its Kentucky cousins how to operate and wanted to use Puckett's indictment on federal weapons charges to provoke a "confrontation."

Puckett has said that he is the commander of the Kentucky State Militia, a civilian paramilitary group that experts think is one of the most active in the country.

The February indictment charges Puckett with being a felon illegally owning guns, pipe bombs and almost 35,000 rounds of ammunition. A revised indictment later added a count saying Puckett intimidated a witness.

Puckett called the seizure of his guns and weapons a theft of private property and a violation of his rights. He argued that the 1968 federal gun control act prohibiting felons from owning guns does not apply to him because he was convicted of a felony two years before the law's enactment.

After Puckett vanished -- and Galbraith said yesterday he did not know where he went -- Galbraith suggested that Puckett may have been kidnapped. Galbraith said many "scoffed" at him over the kidnapping remark, but that he has known Puckett for almost a decade and that he is not the sort to flee. "Charlie is not a scofflaw. ... I knew something extraordinary had happened.

"His son told me that after Charlie got that letter (on his door), he acted differently.... That note fit the extraordinary aspect of it."

That son, Charles D. Puckett, had also been missing. But after he determined that no charges were pending against him he arranged for his father's surrender yesterday to Joe Walker, the Jessamine County sheriff. Walker could not be reached for comment yesterday, but Galbraith said Walker is a friend of Puckett and will testify on his behalf at trial. Puckett is to be arraigned Tuesday on the new indictment and a trial date will be set then.

Garrard County Sheriff Ronnie Wardrip, who knows Puckett, said he was pleased with yesterday's outcome.

"I'm just glad he turned himself in," Wardrip said. "I think he will fare better out of it."

Galbraith said he had spoken only briefly with Puckett since his surrender, but that he thought Puckett would leave the helm of the militia. "There's just too much politics in it," Galbraith said. "He wants to get back with his wife and work on cars."

Meanwhile, Puckett has a major court battle looming that Galbraith said he will win. One count against Puckett -- intimidating a witness -- was simply baffling, Galbraith added: "But if it's as flimsy as the government's other nine charges, bring it on."

Asked why Puckett hadn't simply sought police help after the assassination note, Galbraith said the government had not shown itself to be a friend of his client.

Said Galbraith: "Henry Kissinger used to say, 'It's OK to be paranoid because there is a they out there, and they are out to get you.'"

------------------------------------------------------------------------ Reach Louise Taylor at (859) 231-3205, 1-800-950-6397 Ext. 3205 or ltaylor@herald-leader.com. Reach Greg Kocher in the Nicholasville bureau at (859) 885-5775 or gkocher1@herald-leader.com.

[Mikey]

Yep. I do the IRS and UN in red with a creepy font. Quite effective huh?

UNITED NATIONS & IRS

Now if I can figure out a way to make the blood move as if its really dripping, that would be cool.

[Joe Driscoll]

They did it because he was suspected of breaking the law.

That's the most provably untrue statement so far.

Are you going to respond to #92?

Boggle???

Even if the gun charge was true (highly unlikely since the meth lab charge was a lie) it was a $300 fine. I hope they don't send the swat team after me if I miss a parking ticket.

No one supports the fed decision to burn them out.

Then why are you making excuses for them?

[toddst]

So keep in mind, if he beats them in court the ATF won't just go away. Not unless some other agency takes over their role. But either way he won't be left alone until he is dead or in prison.

You may be right. For this reason we need to follow Charlie Pucketts' case closely. It wouldn't hurt to start sending money to a defense fund for him (via his attorney) as soon as one is set up. Looks like a good investment to me.

[AppyPappy]

So why didn't they just surrender after the raid instead of holding out for x number of days?

[RonPaulLives]

BLUEGRASS BUMP

Over a hundred posts on a Kentucky story and we haven't heard from you on this one?
Are you slipping? :>

[Stew Padasso]

"You are more likely to encounter a well-armed nut than a over-armed fed cowboy."

Well armed nut? Are you referring to someone who is a criminal and deranged or someone who happens to be a well-armed individual who you dislike?

If you are talking about the latter - please provide some data to back up your statement. Or is it basically that somone who is well-armed is a criminal to you?

[toddst]

I agree it would be very good money spent. Maybe Mikey or someone could work up a good fundraiser post for his legal fee. Atleast to post on the thread an other threads.

I'm going to contact Mr. Pucketts' attorney, ask if he would set up a fund. Will get back with his response.

[Stew Padasso]

"But why didn't they surrender?"

Why did the feds attack in the first place? What were they going to gain by storming the place? That is terrible police work. I can remember the cheerleaders in the media when the place burned to the ground, were you one of them?

[Fred Mertz]

So why didn't they just surrender after the raid instead of holding out for x number of days?

There were a few that surrendered. IIRC, they were locked up and their children confiscated by the state. Now, that's a great incentive to surrender to the feds!

Now, let's get back on topic here.

[AppyPappy]

The feds were wrong. Now, why didn't the Davidians surrender?

[Stew Padasso]

"Half of them are undercover feds anyway."

Funny you should say that. I seem to recall a story where the feds were caught trying to provoke some militia. Does know about or remember this?

[AppyPappy]

Uh Fred, Do you remember what happened to the Davidians? Surrender sounded a whole lot better, especially when that tank showed up.

[Stew Padasso]

Why would they? They were being jailed and maybe feared being shot? I wasn't in the builing and cannot tell you firsthand why. What I can tell you is that all this government cheerleading is putting America in a tough spot. And by ignoring Waco and brushing it off as a bunch of whackos does us no good. Remember, they DID NOT initiate the force. The FEDS did.

Why would they do something so stupid? Was there a hostage situation inside MT. Carmel? Were they going to attack Texas? IMO, all bets were off once they raided the place. Anything after that is open to interpretation or more often conspiracy theories by both sides. I'll leave it alone.

[AppyPappy]

A well-armed nut is a guy who thinks the government is going to assassinate him because he is SO important. He then feels the need to create his own personal arsenal (AS IF the government doesn't have a bigger one). He also feels the need to hang out on "secret" websites where he and his buddies (most of whom are feds) talk about making bombs and TEOTWAWKI. They even invite undercover agents to come to their house and see the bombs. And when they get arrested, they dream up elaborate stories about their innocence and pre-disposed people just eat it up. Doesn't it seem strange to you that the Federal government, the State government, the local government and the court system can all get together to conspire against ONE guy? Talk about getting rid of the separation of powers.

I have a friend who is a paranoid schizophrenic and every time his meds get off, he starts rambling about the government coming to get him.

[the irate magistrate]

bump

[tpaine]

I'll never understand why people on FR become so enamored with wacked-out fruitcakes who dress up like GI Joe and play militia. Half of them are undercover feds anyway. - appypap -

We aren't 'enamored', you oaf, we're concerned that our governents obsessions with these movements are feeding fuel to the fires for repression.

The government is demonstrably further out of control on these matters than the actions of a few 'wackos' justify.

=====================================

Everyone notice how Pap n' Poo have diverted attention away from the main subject, -- their blind support of government agencies & actions, to discussion of how 'whacked out' the Waco group was.