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Amish Beard-Cutters Guilty of Hate Crimes

Bishop Sam Mullet, 15 followers face 10 years in prison for attacks

By John Johnson,  Newser Staff

Posted Sep 20, 2012 4:03 PM CDT

(Newser) – Prosecutors got convictions today in one of the most unusual hate-crime cases on record. An Ohio jury found an ultra-conservative Amish bishop and 15 of his followers guilty of forcibly shaving the beards and hair of their Amish enemies, reports the Cleveland Plain Dealer. In one case, the assailants shaved their own parents. Bishop Sam Mullet didn't take part in the actual assaults, but the jury ruled that he orchestrated them. Because prosecutors successfully made the case that they were religious-motivated hate crimes, Mullet and the others face 10 years in prison or more.

Sam Mullet Sr. stands in the front yard of his home in Bergholz, Ohio, in this file photo from last year.
Sam Mullet Sr. stands in the front yard of his home in Bergholz, Ohio, in this file photo from last year.   (AP Photo/Amy Sancetta, File)
Sam Mullet stands in front of his Bergholz, Ohio, home last October.
Sam Mullet stands in front of his Bergholz, Ohio, home last October.   (AP Photo/Amy Sancetta, File)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 27 comments
bewilderbeast
Sep 24, 2012 3:34 AM CDT
Amish logic: - Cutting off beards: Hate Crime - Brainwashing children - Love Crime?
Observer
Sep 21, 2012 1:57 PM CDT
Old Sam looks like a real hipster. How fringe freaks like the Amish or ultra-Orthodox Jews justify their lack of acceptance of our current world is beyond me. Just because some unwashed heathen chose to dress like a fucking idiot is no reason to carry on an absurd tradition.
DougMasters
Sep 21, 2012 5:36 AM CDT
I want to say, I believe that since seperation of church and state, no crime should be more heinous because it's consequences are that of a religious nature. Sorry but your religion has alleged consequences for that. A court of law is not a spiritual thing nor should it be. 10 years in prison for cutting beards is absurd. We are going to put these people in prison with murderers and rapists? If the severity of their crimes is religious than their penalty is between them and their god as is their reward for their life lived for said god. It is not up to a court to decide that. As well, hate crimes are silly anyway. Even on the base premise, hate crime laws make no sense.

 
religion • Amish • hate crimes • Samuel Mullet

 
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