Amish leader sentenced to 15 years for beard-cutting attacks

The leader of an Amish cult — who allegedly ordered followers to forcibly cut the beards and hair of those who criticized his leadership — was sentenced to 15 years in prison, reported the Associated Press.

The 67-year-old Samuel Mullet Sr. was convicted not just of assault but of hate crimes, as prosecutors said the victims’ right to religious expression was violated — a right that the judge said each of the convicted had enjoyed under the First Amendment, as they had been exempt from duties such as jury service.

Mullet, who started his own group in 1995, denied the charges.

more here: http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2013/02/08/amish-leader-sentenced-to-15-years-for-beard-cutting-attacks/