Bill Morlin

1. Barton's shrine to himself and the Hells Angels: an enlarged Spokesman-Review photo of a previous arrest, plus several decals. Photo by Dan McComb/The Spokesman-Review 2. Barton's Mead yearbook photo 3. Evan Barton and his girlfriend, Amber Moore, arrive in federal court on Dec. 1. Photo by Colin Mulvany/The Spokesman-Review 4. Bill Barton reflects on his son, Evan, shown in photos at right. Photo by Christopher Anderson/The Spokesman-Review

Carter's 1994 Mead yearbook photo.

Funeral services and private burial were held Tuesday for Betty E. Butler, the 74-year-old wife of Aryan Nations founder Richard Butler. She died Friday at Kootenai Medical Center, following a lengthy battle with liver cancer. "She's been fighting it steady for two years," Richard Butler said shortly before services Tuesday afternoon at the Church of Jesus Christ Christian north of Hayden Lake.

A Spokane Valley methamphetamine dealer faces at least 15 years in prison after being convicted by a U.S. District Court jury of drug and firearms charges. Richard Pollard, who hid loaded handguns in his baby's crib, was tied to at least 1.5 pounds of methamphetamine, commonly call crank, testimony revealed. The amount is valued at $20,000 wholesale, but could be worth much more if broken down and sold as an estimated 5,000 dosage units.

Citing 41 acts of negligence, a Tacoma woman has filed a $15 million lawsuit against the U.S. government over last year's fatal shooting spree at Fairchild Air Force Base. Michelle Sigman was shot twice in the back during the shooting rampage on June 20, 1994, by discharged airman Dean Mellberg. Six months pregnant at the time of the shooting, Sigman lost her unborn child the following day.

1. Grant County Deputy Assessor Bonnie Rosco makes her living collecting state and local taxes, but refuses to pay federal income taxes. "I consider myself a patriot," she says. Photo by Dan McComb/The Spokesman-Review 2. Ron Kurpuis leads the fight against the IRS in Central Washington's Columbia Basin. The union president refuses to pay his federal income taxes and, like other protesters, is seeking refunds for past years.

1. "Slaying people is not always wrong if it's justified by God's law," says Charles Barbee, who takes aim with his 7mm rifle. Barbee says he's prepared to fight federal agents if another Ruby Ridge siege occurs. Photo by Dan McComb/The Spokesman-Review 2. Eva Vail is a national figure in the anti-government movement. She helps lead Concerned Citizens of Idaho. 3. Frank Reichert practices his form of activism from an old gas station in Bonners Ferry. He runs a computer bulletin board and publishes a bi-monthly patriot newspaper. 4. Bill Smyth co-founded the Idaho Citizens Awareness Network and also leads the Northwest Liberty Network, a patriot umbrella organization.

1. This unit keeps its primary training grounds secret to avoid detection. Photos by Dan McComb/The Spokesman-Review 2. A militiaman practices assault tactics in North Idaho. "Our firearms are tools of freedom," one says. "When the government fears the people, you have freedom. When the people fear government, you have tyranny." 3. Heading home after the exercise, a militiaman hauls away their target: an old Ford fender. Sometimes they shoot at ATF and FBI silhouettes.

A neo-Nazi skinhead who pointed a loaded assault rifle at a fleeing group of Native Americans in north Spokane last summer will spend a year in jail. Rodney Nomura, 28, was sentenced to the maximum jail term on Wednesday by District Court Judge Sam Cozza.

Secret Service agents are asking for the public's help in locating a middle-aged man and woman suspected of passing counterfeit $100 and $50 bills in the Spokane area. At least 20 of the bogus bills have been used at area businesses and more are expected to turn up, said Neil Goodman of the Secret Service's Spokane office. "They're good-quality bills," Goodman said of the notes passed in Spokane since Thanksgiving.

(From For the Record, Tuesday, December 5, 1995): A story in Friday's Spokesman-Review said convicted drug dealer Ron Kappelman, an attorney, was legal counsel for the city's DARE program. At Kappelman's drug sentencing last year, the former president of the Spokane Police Guild, Gary Johnson, testified the lawyer represented the Guild and groups such as DARE in fund-raising and other capacities. However, city DARE managers say Kappelman never worked with their organization.

A man accused of selling a sawed-off shotgun to an undercover deputy in downtown Spokane on Halloween now is a suspect in three grocery store robberies. Nathan J. Weis, 22, has been named in a three-count federal indictment charging him with federal firearms and drug violations. He was indicted Wednesday on charges of possessing a sawed-off shotgun; possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute and being a felon in possession of a firearm.

While trick-or-treaters begged for candy Tuesday, undercover police set up a deal to trade crack cocaine for handguns at a Hillyard home where two teens were murdered last summer. After the trade, authorities arrested two suspects, including the brother of a teenage girl wounded in the August shooting spree. Eric D. Denny, 18, and Ganyn Matthews, 19, are charged with selling crack cocaine and possessing a 9mm pistol during a drug deal.

One of the largest marijuana smuggling rings ever broken in Eastern Washington is detailed in federal indictments unsealed Wednesday. The case involves thousands of pounds of marijuana, worth millions of dollars, hauled from north-central Washington into Canada, said Assistant U.S. Attorney Earl Hicks. "We're alleging this smuggling operation has been ongoing for the last 10 years," he said.

Sammuel M. Dowling was arrested with other skinheads when they tried to find a way into Randy Weaver's cabin during the 1992 standoff. File/The Spokesman-Review

Top-level law enforcement authorities in Montana met privately Friday to discuss ways to defuse a looming standoff with a dozen armed constitutional extremists. Neither U.S. Attorney Sherry Matteucci nor state Attorney General Joe Mazurek would talk publicly after their closed-door meeting with county and state officials in Billings. At least eight of the self-described "freemen" living at "Justus Township" near Jordan, Mont., are wanted on state or federal felony warrants.

A potential confrontation looms on the high plains of central Montana where a dozen self-proclaimed "freemen" are joining forces under their own brand of government.

A federal court rejected appeals from three Spokane crack dealers who say they were victims of racially motivated prosecutions. The case, or one like it, likely is headed for review by the U.S. Supreme Court, legal observers say.

A former Spokane restaurant owner faces 20 months in a federal prison and the forfeiture of almost $23,000 after he was caught selling cocaine a second time. The case against 38-year-old businessman Michael A. Godwin, who ran Ristorante Spezia at 420 W. Francis, developed last year during Operation Doughboy cocaine busts. That series of arrests led to 37 convictions and resulted in Godwin pleading guilty to one count of distribution of cocaine. He was sentenced to prison Tuesday by senior U.S. District Judge Justin Quackenbush.

Larry Potts is sworn in before a Senate subcommittee. Photo by Associated Press

Bo Gritz tells a Senate panel how Vicki Weaver was killed. Photo by Associated Press

Eugene Glenn calls FBI probe "damage control." Photo by Associated Press

Deputy Marshal Larry Cooper recounts the day his comrade, William Degan, was killed on Ruby Ridge. Photo by Associated Press

FBI sharpshooters are sworn in on Capitol Hill Thursday prior to testifying before a Senate subcommittee looking into the 1992 standoff on Ruby Ridge. Photo by Associated Press