Tevlin, Jon; Browning, Dan.

“Defendant: God 'wants me to get rid of' the judge: The trial of millionaire tax
protester Robert Beale turned bizarre even before jury selection began Monday as the prosecutor announced
the arrest of four of Beale's supporters for conspiring with Beale to disrupt the proceedings and intimidate
the judge.” [LOCAL + Metro] Star Tribune, April 22, 2008, p.A1. www.startribune.com/local/17984759.html

Local + Metro
Defendant: God 'wants me to get rid of' the judge
The trial of millionaire tax protester Robert Beale turned bizarre even before jury selection
began Monday as the prosecutor announced the arrest of four of Beale's supporters for
conspiring with Beale to disrupt the proceedings and intimidate the judge.

By JON TEVLIN and DAN BROWNING Ann Gessner, 29, of Sleepy Eye, and Frederick Ogan
Star Tribune staff writers Bond, 62, of Champlin. Pelton and Bond have been
considered leaders of a local organization that objects
April 21, 2008 to the structure of the federal tax system.

U.S. Magistrate Arthur Boylan set a hearing for 2:30

p.m. Wednesday to determine whether the
government has probable cause to proceed.

New charge against him

Beale appeared in federal court Monday to face five
counts of tax evasion and conspiracy to defraud the
United States. According to the government, he failed
to pay more than $1.6 million in taxes on nearly $5.7
million of income from 2000-04.

His trial was initially scheduled for August 2006. But

he fled Minnesota before his trial could be held and
was arrested Nov. 1 in Orlando, Fla., after spending
14 months as a fugitive.

In a sworn statement filed Monday, Matthew Snell, a

Robert Beale
"God ... wants me to take the judge out, that's what he
wants me to do," Beale allegedly told his common-law
wife, according to a new criminal complaint filed
against him and the four associates.
Beale, 64, a former CEO of Comtrol Corp., is on trial
in Minneapolis for tax evasion - he is accused of
owing $1.6 million in back taxes -- and conspiracy
stemming from an indictment filed in 2006. In a new
complaint unsealed Monday, the former North Oaks
executive was charged with conspiracy to prevent
U.S. District Judge Ann Montgomery from overseeing
his trial.
"Once I take down Ann Montgomery, no judge in the
whole court will have anything to do with me," Beale
said in a tape-recorded phone call from jail.
Also facing charges are John Howard Pelton, 67, of
Stillwater; Norman William Pool, 43, of Blaine; Angel
special agent with the FBI, described the events that
led to the new complaint against Beale and his four
co-defendants:
Beale is a "member/leader" of what's known among
certain groups as an extra-judicial "Common Law
Court" in Ramsey County. The lengthy title of this
specific "court" indicates a religious undercurrent,
including a reference to "a superior court for the
People, original jurisdiction under Almighty Yahweh
exclusive jurisdiction in and for confederation-
government United States of America."
In January, the "de facto court convened a self-styled
'grand jury'" and began issuing writs, subpoenas,
summonses and warrants that culminated with arrest
warrants issued last month for Montgomery, former
U.S. Marshal Allen Garber, Sherburne County Sheriff
Bruce Anderson and Patrick Carr, an employee of the
Sherburne County jail, where Beale has been held.
This month, an investigator with the Sherburne
County Sheriff's Office notified authorities that Beale
began making inappropriate or threatening comments
about Montgomery during recorded phone calls.

1
Snell said that Beale told his common-law wife, Mun
Suk Kim, in an April 3 conversation that God wants
him to "destroy the judge. That judge is evil. He wants
me to get rid of her."
Beale also spoke by phone with Pelton, a retired
police officer who described himself in a Star Tribune
interview more than a year ago as the "chief justice"
presiding over some Common Law grand jury
proceedings. The two men discussed issuing an
"arrest warrant" for the judge, according to Snell's
affidavit.
Montgomery allowed Beale to speak for several
minutes before saying she would limit his comments.
"Speeches will not be allowed," she said. "My desire
is to have a fair and orderly trial."
After a jury was selected in what is expected to be a
two-week trial, Beale's demeanor changed
dramatically. Talking softly during his opening
statement, he apologized to the court and the country
and agreed with the "facts of the case" presented by
the prosecutor.

Beale also told Pelton that "God needs us to be like "The main issue in this trial is 'why,' not 'what,'" Beale
Gideon against the Mennonites-- 300 vs. 120,000 said. He then talked about how his strong religious
men. We rise up and God will take care of us." beliefs played into his tax philosophy.

In another call, Beale told Gessner to learn where
Montgomery lives, Snell wrote. Gessner told Beale
the next day she found the address and gave it to
"Fred," identified in the affidavit as Bond.
Bond presented a subpoena to the Hennepin County
Sheriff's Office listing Montgomery's home address
and demanding that she appear at the Little Canada
Old Fire Hall on April 15 for a hearing before the
Common Law court, Snell said. About 35 people
attended a 3 1/2-hour meeting that day, Snell said.
Montgomery did not appear.
Beale said he truly believed that his income was not
taxable, and informed the Internal Revenue Service in
writing.
"I thought everybody should be doing what I was
doing," he said. "I wasn't hiding anything. I wanted to
be a hero. But a lot of people who try to do that end
up in jail, just like me."
Staff writer Randy Furst contributed to this story.
jtevlin@startribune.com • 612-673-1702
dbrowning@startribune.com • 612-673-4493

The next day, Beale and Bond discussed having the © 2008 Star Tribune. All rights reserved.
Hennepin County Sheriff's Office serve Montgomery
with an arrest warrant, Snell said. "Beale states, 'It's
important that she sees the thing . . . I want her to be
intimidated,' " the affidavit said.

"It's very likely she may not even show up if you serve
that thing. She might even dismiss the case," Beale
allegedly said.

Speaks out
Under tight security Monday, Beale, who is defending
himself, appeared fidgety and serious. At several
points, he rose to challenge Montgomery. He said that
he answers to a higher power, "The Lord Jesus
Christ."

"I do not consent to this proceeding!" Beale said.

Security personnel had to force Beale to sit three

times in the half-hour before prospective jurors
arrived.

During rambling soliloquies, Beale accused

Montgomery and the government of "extortion,
deception and lack of disclosure."

"Are you trying to force me to present myself as a

U.S. person against my will? Well, that is a capital
crime," Beale said.