Being a Three Percenter now officially becomes a subtext for prosecution. I volunteer as an expert witness.

"Conrad seeks to limit murder case evidence."

Jeffery Conrad, the Benton man accused of murder in the shooting death of Garlon Casey Cox, 30, appeared in court Friday in Paducah to present arguments for seven motions he and his attorney filed earlier this week. Most notable were the request for individual jury selection, as well as motions to exclude certain autopsy photos and Conrad's affiliation with a group known as the "Three Percenters" from trial. . .

Finally, the defense requested that Conrad's affiliation with a group known as the "Three Percenters" be deemed inadmissible, due to its having "no relevance" regarding the events on March 16 that led to Cox's death. The "Three Percenters" is an organization that seeks "to restore a limited Constitutional government to the people of the United States in keeping with the principles of our founding fathers," according to the group's Facebook page. The group's website states its mission is to "give our members the capabilities and resources necessary to execute military strategies to defend against foreign and domestic enemies," and "provide the capability to combat any threat, force, or occupation whose purpose is to gain, sustain, and exploit comprehensive control over land, resources, and the people of the United States of America."

Moore stated in his motion that the Commonwealth and the court have already used Conrad's affiliation with the group to deny him a reasonable bond without explaining its relevancy. By introducing said information, Moore stated "the prejudice Conrad would suffer is glaringly apparent."

In his response, Boaz argued Conrad's membership in such a group could speak to his state of mind during the shooting. "The 'Three Precenters' are an anti-government group who believe that they are the rightful enforcers of the law," the response states. "The tone of this organization is that of an undercurrent of violence against those who commit any crimes." Boaz argued that because Cox was shot after Conrad caught him stealing from his storage unit, the defendant's association with such a group should be considered relevant. Kaltenbach withheld a decision, saying he needed to research possible precedent before deciding.

Since this is a self-defense case, there should be no relevance as to whether or not the man is a member of the Three Percent. However, if the Three Percenter idea is going to be put on trial, I would certainly volunteer to explain the Three Percent Catechism and just what that means as an expert witness, if the defense thinks it would help their case.