nuff said.

These 16 guys will find out that long hair and beards are not allowed in prison. And they WILL hold you down and forceably cut your hair and shave you. Hair and beards are a well-known place that prisoners hide things. They are going to have a very "penetential" life.

Hmmm... sad deal ?? I don't think so. "If you dance with the devil, you might get burned." What this "religious leader" did was against the law. He got popped for doing what he did, and rightfully so.

Now, he and his 15 buddies, will have up to 210 months to think about their wrongdoing. That means about 17.5 years. With "good time," that might mean release in about 11.5 years.

Still, for Samuel J. Mullet Sr., age 66, that might be a death sentence - meaning there's a good chance he will die while in prison.

Symbolism has to go.

God's Law is the answer and violations of this Law are the cause of the @!$%# in today's society. The effects are obvious.

I am NOT an expert on God's Law but I don't recall anything about growing or cutting of beards, hair.

Get off the crap, BS.

This religious freedom is.............

Is that Justice?

210 months? That's 17 and a half years. people commit rape and murder and get less time.

I agree with JBURK. That is a lot of time. When we have violent criminals getting much less. (And Amish violence????) Never have I ever heard of such. I always looked up to the discipline these people have. I mean I havent heard of any kind of violence. And just the way they live and stick to it. Thats commitment. I like the idea, but dont think I have what it takes to stick with the lifestyle.

Michael at #1.4 Yes, it is in the Bible. You will not round the corners of your beard, or something like that.

This is why those who REALLY believe, ie Jews, Islamics, Amish et al, have beards.

Michael Boyd-755064

Actually, God's so-called law is the reason we have so much @!$%# to clean up every day. Atheists and agnostics are actually the most educated, most philanthropic group of people in the world. It's religious people who cause the problem.

Religion destroys lives. I would know.

Lol, I have no idea, they was just gonna shave me and leave me bald .. so I droped them with 2 clips !

O well you live you learn, don't jump some one with weilding scirrors if there packing heat.

Wanderingpacific, that is the most ignorant statement I have EVER heard. Where is your proof of your assertions? Most atheists that I have ever known or seen were very self-centered--not philanthropic at all. And willfully ignorant too! I can understand someone who is agnostic, but to say that there is absolutely no way that there can possibly be some sort of higher power is to close one's mind completely to many possibilities. NOBODY knows for sure if there is or isn't a God or some sort of higher power. And if you are so certain of it, then you are lying to yourself. The problem is not God or even the belief in God. The problem comes when people put their specific religions (which are man-made interpretations of how to worship) above all decency and common sense.
That said, I suggest you not make sweeping statements about people based solely on opinion. Not all people fall into your little categories and boxes.

@ Janine...Atheists are more willfully ignorant than religious folks? You're just trolling ... right? Please, let this be a joke.

The beards of some of the women needed cutting.

I am still waiting for Mitt Romney, to publicly and privately, apologize to the young man, whose blond locks he cut, with the help of some his bully-friends.

I fail to see how this could be a hate crime when both groups are members of the same religious group. Haste crimes could more accurately labeled domestic terrorism because it is when one group attacks, intimidates or intends to threatn another social group via violance.

What happened among the different Amish sects is closer to gang violence which is different because it about one group protecting turf.

Romney did the same thing, he was the leader, why did he not go to jail when he did the same thing?

I just don't get it with the Amish attacking the Amish. I thought if you sucked as Amish, you got shunned and went to live with the English. More importantly, I'd like to understand why we sentenced folks to prisin for years for having provided the free public service of haircuts. Had the defendants shouted "Allahu Akbar" during the trial, it might have ended differently.

I'm all for giving some free hair cuts.

wanderingpacific - you really have it all backward....it is man who attempts to use/pervert religion that causes the problems, not the religion it's self.

It is funny a man with the name mullet gets jail time for cutting hair. Maybe he can be the prison barber. Plus they will finally get a television and a microwave,

For AllAmerican - this is too violence. There may be no bullet holes or slashes from a box cutter but the Amish NEVER cut their beards after marriage for their religious reasons. To have a thug (even an Amish one) hold them down and cut their beards is no less violent than stripping off a burka (sorry, don't know how to spell that),cutting off the side curls of a Hasidim Jew, etc. We may not understand the reasons certain groups do what they do but it is their right to do so without violence.

Also, a while back I read that Mullet "didn't approve" of they way "the shorn ones" were living their lives so he dicided to punish them with the beard cutting. He sounds like a bitter old man. However I do think that 17 years is way too long of a sentence. Where I live killers of babies and toddlers (usually mom's new boyfriend) get far easier sentencing.

Cut someones hair and beard....210 months (over 17 years)

Rape a someone....2 years...(if that)

Illegally send thousands of weapons to mexico in the hands of Mexican cartel!!!!:

Eric Holder...Excused......Anyone Else .....DEATH!!!

Something aint right here!!!

@Larry you are correct and not correct. It is in the bible in the Old Testament but it was ceremonial for the law. This was removed when Christ came and paid the penalty for our sins. That is why there are sacrifices in the Old Testament and not in the new. So I guess the Amish are not saved by the sacrifice Christ made of his life since they see the need to follow Old Testament tradition.

As for what they did it was obviously wrong and they knew it, or they would not have tried to cover it up.

The prosecutor aught to feel real proud of this conviction, why not rico, too?

firebunkers, you are absolutely right!

I could see if they had murdered someone but gosh, and far as Mitt Romney that's still hard to believe that he'd do that but to , we all done stupid things as kids. There's Bullies out there young and old , it's time to growup instead of acting like children, only kids act immature.

If even the Amish become criminals, then this country is really going down the drain.

It's best not to try and hurt anyone in any way.

Sentencing these people to a minimum of 17 years for this "crime" is ludicrous! Jut think about it .. It will cost over $750,000 dollars per individual to keep them in penal institutions for this period of time ...
Add up the total cost ... $750,000 X 16 = $12, 000, 000 .... That's 12 million dollars to incarcerate these harmless individuals .. and that's not counting the cost of prosecuting them, or the cost to their families .. these were hard working people that minded their own business and kept their law inside their own community ...

Were they wrong? .. of course they were .. but to a degree that we want to destroy their lives?

Something is very wrong in this country when 16 men go to prison for over 15 years for cutting someone hair against their will! .. And something even further wrong that a "justice system" would spend over 10 million dollars to punish them ..................

Shaving their heads and beards and forcing them to remain shaven for a year and putting them on probation for 10 years, would be a far more apt punishment!

I was so close to becoming Amish - I went through the itchy beard stage for nothing...I'm sure going to miss my power tools.

First, don't blame God for any of this. These folks are misguided in ways. Thier men exercise total domination over the females in thier family and beyond. They are not different from other abusers in religious, civic and charitable groups. I personally am not impressed with this group and all it's oppression. I feel sad for the young women who want simple things in life. They can't even own a camera. Sad!

@moonbeamracer - if we followed your logic no one would go to jail. It's never economically justified, but the Government has to protect the public.

surley they are not going to get 210 months apiece. I think the writer of the article added the total number of months of all those sentenced together. I cant imagine getting 17 years for cutting someones beard. I bet the judge will suspend the sentence.

Good ol civil rights bull@!$%# strikes again.

Chris @ 1.2 Did you read the Article? I suggest you read the Article first and comment second. If people followed that simple principal it would cut down a lot of useless reading.

It was a hate crime. punishment for these types of crime are more severe. 17 years seems like a long time, but the crimes they committed and the cover up attempt was egregious enough to merit the punishment. A slap on the wrist and they would have returned to repeat the same acts again.

This man abused his power and went against his own belief system, by sending people out to do violence against former church members. He left his last church to start a new church, when some of his followers thought he had crossed the line and left his congregation, he tried to have them excommunicated. The bishops who heard the case refused to uphold his decision, he resorted to this. He acted out of pride, which is also against their teachings. He needs to be locked up before he sends people out to do even worse things.

Not only are they being punished for cutting the hair, but for lying to the FBI and concealing or attempting to conceal evidence.

Zealots are dangerous people. Many thousands of people have been murdered in the name of religion, be it Christians, Jews, or Muslims or athiests. Everyone thinks their way is the right way, and if you don't believe the right way, you die. What crap! But, of course, that's another story...

Hate to say, but it seems to me that this is a case of Mr. Mullett being corrupted by his power. My opinon is that religion is supposed to save one from his/her base human nature. He has failed in his quest for religious pureness. He has sinned mightily. He should probably be on suicide watch.

A sad situation for all concerned. Shame it happened.

wow we need these judges to go after obama for violating our constitutional rights but that wont happen they should also charge him for lying to the american peopl straight out bold face lies

Never thought I'd read an article about such atrocious Amish on Amish crime! They're karazzy with their scissors n stuff!

Something is very wrong in this country when 16 men go to prison for over 15 years for cutting someone hair against their will! .. And something even further wrong that a "justice system" would spend over 10 million dollars to punish them ..................

Moonbeamracer, you are correct, something is wrong with this system. Somehow, the crime rarely matches the punishment. I recently read where a woman knocked her pregnant neighbour unconscious, with a baseball bat and tried to cut the baby from her. Both baby and mother survived the attack but the offender was sentenced to only twelve and a half years for the horrible crime.

Murderers and rapists get less time than this guy. That's right. The violent beard cutting Amish guy named Mullet. You just cannot make this up

I am so tired of all of this dam gang violence!, I just saw a whole posse of that same Amish gang, walkin around with telephones (not cordless either!), smokin their tobacco blunts, pants up to their chest, with their long hair and beards. These people are leeches on society. They probably don't even pay taxes either!! I believe their leader used to be Billy Ray Cyrus's hair stylist, and actually came up with his namesake hairdoo, which BRC rode to fame on. I'm guessing that if you took their shirts off, that they all have tattoos on them (the ones that come in packs of gum) too. And I'm tired of their dang kids racin up and down the street in their buggies, some of the souped ones have over 2 horse power in them!! They could potentially break several toes if they aren't careful. Dang kids!

many of you seem to have a great deal of respect for your own religion and abide by the rules, like if you are a bad catholic they excommunicate you.. how can a man who has 4 children get an annullment for his marriage.. as much as you respect your religion so do the AMISH.. this trial was about their LAW ..

how many divisions are there in the AMISH groups, there is something that seperates the groups any idea what?

yes FLORIDA NATIVE they are a very rough group.. they probably use MOONPIES for weapons

I'm with ya max ole boy, there are not only divisions of them, there are whole battalions of them out there!

My guess is they are probably using FULLY-AUTOMATIC MOONPIES, who knows the damage one of those things could do, probably put out an eye or something. Next story will be a secret video of them RUNNING WITH SCISSORS!!!!!!!!! "OMG Crazy Ezekiel has the scissors and he's running, call the elders"

seriously....44 posts in and no one has commented on the fact that the great hair cutting caper of 2012 was implemented by a guy whose last name is MULLET?!

Our court are run by a bunch of crazy judges!!! Giving those men even the minimun time in jail is rediculous!! Amish people are forgiving people and they will all get over it. The Bible says that you are not to take your brother to court for any reason. That is the way they believe. Tell me, are we going to give government money to take care of these families while these men are in jail? How about someone to milk their cows and do the farm work. The Bible says that men should have short hair and the women should have long hair because it is for their glory. It's in first or second Corinthians of the Bible. These judges are just trying to prove how big they are. Murderers and rapist don't even get this many years in prison. After all hair grows back and all will be well. This judge would be better to make these men work the other mens farms for 3 or 4 years without any pay. Makes more sense to all concerned.

yep...very strange. Especially since they are supposed to be totally against violence.

A criminal that commits a single individual violent act is a violent criminal to face proper punishment.

A gang of religious fanatics that use their religion as an excuse to violently attack those of another religion (in any way) are terrorists with mob mentalities. A much more explosive and potententially dangerous act (because these criminals are working in concert) requires much more stringent prosecution and punishment.

If we learned nothing more than this from the horrible attacks of 9/11, it was a lesson well learned.

Keep in mind, Mitt Romney could have been charged with a hate crime, when he tackled his college classmate, and forcibly cut his hair! It was just as wrong as this incident!

I agree with "A gang of religious fanatics that use their religion as an excuse to violently attack those of another religion (in any way) are terrorists with mob mentalities." but should match the crime match the time. What they did was just horrible and punishment should be imposed on them. But in this case it was not a 911 act not even close in any scale. Seventeen and half years seems a bit too much although that is what they are facing, they may only get five years we do not know yet. I do agree with you most times religion or gang violence are the same and should not be used as an excuse.

I work with amish. They are not what they appear. Humble.... no, hard working.... no. Its hustle screw up hustle screw up some more and put the blame on someone else. If the public that think they know the amish actually new the amish then there would be no tourism in the amish community. They use computers and have emails facebook pages. they have cell phones (which they use at work all they time). Come on the amish are fake and only use religion to their advantage.

Commonsense101 - a GANG of any type who use their personal agenda/preference/circumstances to attack another group with a different agenda/preference/circumstances are terrorist with mob mentalities.

Agreed. The KKK. Al Capone, Hitler, Bin Laden, today's drug cartels and all of their minions would never have risen to visit such horrors on an innocent populace if civilized societies reserved the most aggressive prosecution and penalties for such monsters in their early days.

Amish-on-Amish violence? Never heard of it? I have. From people living in Lancaster County, PA. Beating the animals. Beating the kids. Beating the wives. Because the man of the house is the lord of his house. Just another religion in which the few strong dominate the many weak.

17+ years seems harsh to us, but the crimes they did was purely religious hate crimes, full of violence and similar to rape. Violent zealots do not belong in our communities as they are more dangerous in some ways because they think they are right and just with their violence.

It's all come down to a hair-raising hell... *LOL!*

But seriously--guilty of a hate crime?

Even the Amish go bananas...

This would be sad and pathetic if it wasn't so gosh-darned funny...

Chris.....you're right on. I lived an hour from Lancaster County PA and these people are not what you see on TV. Oh no no, not even close. They make money by running puppy mills. The way these people treated their dogs will make you want to fuking strangle the living $hit out of them. I think they learn it from the Michael Vick's dog training center. Five Amish men were busted for cocaine trafficking two years ago in Lancaster.

Let's put it this way. They are not what you saw in the Harrison Ford movie, that's for sure.

No matter what no one can totally block out the modern world and its influences. At least they are not excuting anyone.

If hate crimes were punished back when Romney did his bully boy stunt, he should have at least been charged with felony assault. That would have been strike 1. His tax evasion would have been strike 2. Both crime are felonies and I seriously doubt he would be running for anything except choir boy...if he didn't get kick out of his church.

I believe that Amish who work outside the Amish community are allowed leeway...sort of a compromise.

Is this correct?

Religion---you can't beat it with a stick. It's amusing how we criticize religious traditions in other nations while we have so many sects of loonies here in the U.S.

Actually, a sad deal for modern times. The Amish are disgusting. They ruin their kids' chance at a happy future and act like they're closer to "god." Let them cut off each other's beards. Meanwhile, save the hate crime accusations for real hate crimes.

Keratin=godliness? Get real.

You know nothing of the Amish. They actually expect their kids to go out and determine for themselves whether they want to continue being Amish or not. They are expected to be rebellious. Its called Rumspringa. The sad deal is your lack of knowledge and using that to judge others by. That is the sad deal for modern times.

I think I do understand how significant the crime was inside the Amish culture but still the amount of time given is clearly in excess of the crime.

Ok,so whose religious beliefs should we defend if not theirs? I guess we should only defend those whose beliefs are more mainstream. This was a hate crime. Yes, a bizarre one for those of us who are not Amish, but a hate crime just the same. If someone fire-bombed a Catholic church or some other mainstream religion's sanctuary and wrote vile things on the walls would you see that as a hate crime? Are hate crimes only those perpetrated on those of another race or sexual persuasion? Who decides? I am not saying I agree with the Amish belief system or their way of life but I do feel they have every right to believe as they wish and to live as they wish. JMHO.

yzermanisking, I think the poster believes that any kind of "hate crime" against a religion doesn't count. He seems to think that people should not be religious and that somehow religion is evil. Just ignore the willfully ignorant. They don't care to open their minds.

The Amish are not such nice people. They puppy mill as a way to support themselves- animal abusers are the lowest kind of scum. I don't know why people think Amish are gentle people. They think it is okay to beat their wives, children and horses.

wanderingpacific - sorry to bust your bubble, but there are others who live different lives than you do, who do so in total happiness........

@rmb22

These Amish with the puppy mill are fuking savages. Pennsylvania just came out with new law for animal cruelty and that was directed all toward the Amish Communties. They are the worst offender for animal cruelty and many of the puppy mills were shut down. It's all about the money.

Let's see, trespassing, maybe breaking and entering plus assault. Maybe they think they can protect themselves from the corrupt dealings of "the outside world", but in reality, this shows that they are no different in the end. And as for Mullet, he needs to rein in his ego a tad bit.

210 months is 17.5 years WOW

210 months is far greater than 4+ years considering 120 months = 10 years.

I think the reason for the lengthy sentence is that it was not an isolated event, but rather a series of carefully planned assaults. These assaults were not only planned, but they were carefully constructed to harm the victims far more than simply beating them up would, because they would be ashamed in front of others of their own faith, sort of like carving a swastika on the cheek of a Jewish person, and then having the victim live in a Jewish community. These attacks were carefully calculated to humiliate and shame their victims in front of their entire community, and to cut to the heart of their religious beliefs, which for these people would be the heart of their existence. These crimes fall into the same category as raping a nun.

The article states a MINIMUM of 210 months. They COULD get more!!!

That would be better, maybe the Judge and I hope he does is sentences them to a boot camp program. That kind of program is short enough to send them home bald. Siestasis, that was very smart and that would be an eye for an eye. Thank you....

There is a small amount in any group of people that are violent. Even agnostics have violent people among their ranks. Do not judge the group as a whole. That makes you just like them.

You're right, but the proportions are hugely different. Almost all war and violence is driven my man-made religion. Think of Westboro. Think of the Crusades. Think of 9/11.

The only notable atheistic/agnostic violence comes out of China, and that is more of a political issue.

If we were run as an atheistic yet accepting nation, we would be way better off. Religion is a monster.

More of a political issue? No, it is all the same--whether politics are involved or not. That is not fair to separate communism and atheism because they go hand in hand. Stalin killed millions too. Over 100 million people died under communism. Maybe if those people had a little sprituality in them, they would have had a conscience and not perpetrated evil on others.

Janine-984304, are you serious? Atheism and communism go hand in hand? You do not need a religion to protect your soul from becoming Stalin. What a simple view of his sick behavior.

Amish have never renounced violence. Instead they practice nonresistance. Nonviolence would mean that they would not serve in the military in a combat role, but could, as an example, serve as a medic. Nonresistance is very different in that it basically says that government cannot make you do anything. While a nonviolent person could go into the military as a medic, a nonresistant person would say that he cannot be forced to serve at all. The only "authority" they recognize is that of their bishops and over than a synod of bishops and over that only God. The Amish have no problem with guns as "modern technology" and have no problem with killing people in self-defense or in an eye-for-an-eye situation.

prob. wiped there butt with charmin T.P. instead of bark. Either way, You just dont cut the beard. Just not right.

Oh and Chris749391...good stuff.

Yeah, but remember...according to the Republicans, rape isn't really rape if you become pregnant--and that's a life sentence.

Unfortunately too many value position over life...

That was one wack job, not the whole republican party. Don't twist the truth Postal Mark. You'll just embarrass yourself further.

Now Now Postal Mark... That was 1 stupid guy who just happened to be Republican. Last I checked 1 guy does not a Party make! He was slaughter in the news from all sides, and that is just an uneducated response from you.

Postal Mark, do you really enjoy spreading lies and propaganda all day long? One idiot does NOT make up an entire political party. Give me a break.

This nut job is not the norm of the Amish people.

The boys in the pen are likely waiting.

Yes, several times i caught myself looking for the man with a mullet.

Too funny!

Most likely not even a trial they would have proclaimed shari law.

Just a thought,I served 22 years in the U S Army,I feel that the Amish folk should have the right to decide for themselves if they serve in the army.One of the reasons I served was that I believe in religious freedom,and freedom from religion.While I was on active duty I was tasked with the job of helping decide if a soldier who had served honorably for over 6 years,then became a Jehovah's Witness,was sincere,or was simply trying to get out early,(He had only a couple years left on his enlistment)I helped him get out because I think that if a person does not want to serve they should not have to.I also think that anyone who blindly follows ANY organized religion is a couple cards short of a full deck.So,for what it is worth there is my 2 cents worth.

woodpecker;i served 3,out eary due to disability.i agree,why they never learned to have a real sitdown with someone to talk of beliefs like chaplans should gets me. after 6 good ones,its possible to change.just better be a darn good diagnostic tech.not neccesary a doctor,good judgement w/exp; to back it.but i agree.

Well stated Woodpecker. I'm glad they have the right to say no, but they don't in any way support financially, spiritually, or other to anyone but themselves.

I guess my point is that they don't want anything to do with societyoutside of their own, but then they resort to using the court system for a silly mudslinging spat. The are social invalids.

Ever heard of assault gordy?

You might read what happened to bring about the trial - kicking in doors in the dead of night, assault, intimidation, etc.

The long sentences are the result of the "hate crime laws." If you commit murder and mayhem with a song in your heart, you pay less of a penalty.

Ahh, American "justice."

Okay Gordy, so you won't be upset if someone comes over there and shaves your head against your will??

Yes, Under Employed Teacher, Justis could be meet and an eye for eye should happen. I think it would be a better sentence. If someone rapes remove there privates, if someone rapes and kills put them it a burning building and nail there balls to the floor and give them a butter knife to save themselves. Might be harsh but the crime should match the time.

I think that the sentence is fitting of the crime of terrorizing a person and assaulting them.

hell we need to waterboard them too and find out where the WMD's are stashed.

Freedom of expression my ass! The US Constitution doesn't give anyone, religious or otherwise, the right to terrorize and commit violence against anyone, in their community or not. Take a nap, before you start sanctioning Sharia Law!