Amish bishop attack codefendants appear in municipal court
By Nick Sabo
October 11, 2011
2392
Co-defendants in an alleged attack on an Amish bishop appeared in Holmes County Municipal Court Wednesday, Oct. 12.
Charged with aggravated burglary and kidnapping are Daniel S. Mullet, 37, of 8865 County Road 53, Bergholz; Eli M. Miller, 31, of 385 Township Road 280, Bergholz; Levi F. Miller, 53, of County Road 53, Bergholz; Johnny S. Mullet, 38, of 362 Township Road 280, Bergholz; and Lester S. Mullet, 26, of 522 Township Road 54, Hammondsville.
Eli Miller and Daniel Mullet were arrested Wednesday. Holmes County Sheriff Tim Zimmerly said the charges were brought as more was learned about the alleged Oct. 4 assault on a Holmes County man and his family.
The remaining three co-defendants were brought up from Jefferson County Tuesday, Zimmerly said, after waiving extradition hearings. They were taken into custody Friday, Oct. 7 on warrants issued in Holmes County and held on $250,000 cash bonds. Their bonds were reduced Wednesday to $50,000 by Municipal Court Judge Jane Irving.
The charges against the co-defendants allege they entered the residence of an Amish bishop and cut his, and his sons, beard and hair. Four other occupants of the home were also allegedly assaulted.
The attacks are believed to be in retribution for a decision made by a state-wide council of bishops who reversed a shunning decision by former Fredericktown bishop Sam Mullet. Mullet left the church after the incident and took several of his congregation with him. Sam Mullet now lives in Bergholz.
The Holmes County bishop who was allegedly assaulted was part of the council.
Aggravated burglary and kidnapping charges against a sixth codefendant, Lester M. Miller, 37, of 1623 County Road 58, Bergholz, were dropped. Zimmerly said new charges will be filed against Lester Miller that are less serious than the kidnapping and burglary charges but stem from the same incident.
(Lester Miller) was misidentified as going in to the house with the others but he did not enter, Zimmerly said.
The five men appeared via video conference from the Holmes County Jail and were mostly quiet, answering questions from Irving. All indicated they intend to hire their own attorneys.
Wednesdays hearing was an initial appearance and the five men did not enter pleas to the charges.
Irving reduced the bond amounts to reflect the bond set by the Jefferson County judge who presided over the extradition hearing. The purpose of a bond is to compel the defendant to show at future hearings, and Irving said the Jefferson County judge knows (the defendants) circumstances better than I do.
Irving scheduled a preliminary hearing for Oct. 19. At a preliminary hearing, the state must prove a crime has been committed and that the person charged is the most likely culprit of the crime.
Aggravated burglary and kidnapping are first-degree felonies and carry a maximum of 10 years in prison and a $20,000 fine.
