Militia trial starts in Michigan with jury picks

Militia trial starts in Michigan with jury picks

DETROIT (AP) — A judge is asking potential jurors what they think about the use of confidential informants as jury selection starts in the trial of seven people accused of conspiring to rebel against the government as members of a southern Michigan militia.

Detroit federal Judge Victoria Roberts wants to have a final jury pool of 50 by next Monday. The process began today with brief courtroom interviews.

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.

There’s been only one guilty plea in the case.