Prosecutors in the third day of the Fairbanks Peacemaker’s militia trial spent the morning introducing evidence and interviewing an FBI agent about the items that were seized. Throughout the course of the morning, evidence revealed weapons and ammunition that was taken from a white utility trailer belonging to Coleman Barney. The trailer was taken from the Ice Park in Fairbanks to a garage at the airport for inspection by the FBI, ATF and Alaska State Troopers. Photographs projected on a screen showed a white plastic container with 17 grenade bodies and fuses laying inside. A red tote box contained gas masks, bandoleer style belts with magazines of ammunition and pieces of body armor. There were full metal jacket rounds for 9 millimeter handguns, smokeless powder and 37 millimeter launchers with canisters containing pepper spray, or smoke irritants. A few of them were hornet’s nest rounds. A black .223 caliber rifle and 1,200 rounds ammunition were also shown.
During a break, a conflict arose from comments revealed by a juror from King Salmon that she knew the Rockwoods. Paul and Nadia Rockwood were arrested in 2010 based on allegations they had compiled a list of kill targets who they believed were enemies of Islam. Paul Rockwood is in prison and the juror said she had been a house sitter for the couple and had occasional contact with Paul Rockwood through email or letters. She was questioned by the prosecution and defense attorneys as to whether she could be fair to the FBI. She answered “Yes, I believe so.” Steven Skrocki asked Judge Bryan to strike her from the jury. Skrocki was a prosecutor in the Rockwood case and said Paul Rockwood had been charged with international terrorism and calls himself a martyr and a victim. Defense attorneys had no objections to her remaining on the jury and Judge Bryan denied Skrocki’s request, saying “I’m satisfied by her statements that she can be fair.”
In the afternoon, the prosecution brought militia documents and other evidence to the stand that was seized from Barney Coleman’s house.
Lori Townsend is the chief editor, senior vice president of journalism and senior host for Alaska Public Media. You can send her news tips and program ideas for Talk of Alaska and Alaska Insight at ltownsend@alaskapublic.org or call 907-550-8452. Read more about Lori here.
