Michigan militia trial starting with jury picks

1:03 PM, Feb 7, 2012   |    comments
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DETROIT (AP) -- Jury selection is getting under way in Detroit federal court, nearly two years after the dramatic arrest of people accused of belonging to a southern Michigan militia with a goal of rebelling against the government.

The trial is expected to last weeks. It involves seven of the nine people charged with belonging to a group called Hutaree. The government says they conspired to try to kill a police officer and plotted further strikes. No one was ever attacked, and the defendants say they're being prosecuted for saying stupid things.

Jury selection starts Tuesday, a few weeks after prospective jurors filled out a 30-page questionnaire.

One of the nine pleaded guilty to a weapons charge in December. Another defendant will face trial at a later date.

From the Associated Press