Jury selection under way in Amish beard-cutting trial

CLEVELAND — Five Youngstown-area lawyers are among the 18 attorneys representing 16 people, who are going on trial in federal court on charges they engaged in beard-and hair-cutting attacks on fellow Ohio Amish people in a religious dispute.

Jury selection began today for the trial of the group members led by Sam Mullet Sr., 66, of Bergholz, in the courtroom of U.S. District Judge Dan Aaron Polster.

All of the defendants rejected plea-bargain offers of leniency from the U.S. attorney last month.

One of the attacks occurred in Mesopotamia in northern Trumbull County, and others in Holmes, Carroll and Jefferson counties, the FBI said.

The trial is expected to last two to three weeks, according to Mike Tobin, spokesman for the U.S. attorney’s office.

For the complete story, read Tuesday's Vindicator and Vindy.com