The U.S. Attorney's Office in Detroit said Tuesday that it was awaiting permission from the U.S. solicitor general to appeal a judge's decision to release nine members of a Lenawee County militia group on bond.
U.S. District Judge Victoria Roberts ruled Monday that prosecutors failed to establish that the defendants, members of the Hutaree Christian militia group who were arrested during FBI raids in late March, were a flight risk and threat to the public. The defendants are accused of plotting to overthrow the U.S. government.
Roberts granted a last-minute request by the U.S. Attorney's Office to temporarily delay the release but said prosecutors had filed a "woefully inadequate" request. Roberts said she would end the stay at 5 p.m. today unless the government tells her that it has obtained permission to proceed with an appeal.
