Fingerprinting Injury

Freeman Dale Jacobi’s hand was injured Friday when he resisted an attempt to obtain his fingerprints at the Yellowstone County jail, authorities said.

Jacobi, 54, one of several freemen awaiting trial on a federal indictment, was treated briefly at Deaconess Medical Center and was returned to jail, said jail Lt. Timothy Neiter.

Jailers at first thought Jacobi’s thumb had been broken, but it wasn’t.

A federal agent for the Immigration and Naturalization Service tried to fingerprint Jacobi at the jail but Jacobi refused to cooperate, said Yellowstone County Sheriff Chuck Maxwell.

Jacobi then clenched his fist and pulled his arm back as if he were about to throw a punch, Neiter said. Jailers restrained Jacobi.

The federal agent then went ahead, printing Jacobi’s thumb, and injured the defendant in the process.

Jacobi, a Canadian citizen and former police officer, is one of several freemen who have refused to have their fingerprints taken since surrendering to federal authorities last month.