Next Bombing Jurors Will Be Quizzed On ‘Citizens Rule Book’

A little book called “Citizens Rule Book” may play a role in jury selection for the second trial of three men accused of the Spokane Valley bombings and bank robberies.

“If only one juror should vote ‘not guilty’ for any reason, there is no conviction and no punishment at the end of the trial,” the booklet says.

It also preaches that citizens must decide what’s law, and not listen to judges or their jury instructions.

“You are above the law,” it says. “As a juror in a trial setting, when it comes to your individual vote of innocent or guilty, you truly are answerable only to God Almighty.”

The book, which includes the Ten Commandments and the Communist Manifesto, is often given away at gun shows and militia and patriot meetings.

Many self-described patriots carry a copy in their shirt pockets and whip it out when confronting elected officials or judges.

Copies of the book were found by FBI agents during searches of homes and vehicles belonging to the bombing and robbery defendants.

Suspect Verne Jay Merrell carried the booklet and a Bible to the witness stand when he testified in his own defense.

The federal court jury hearing the case eventually voted 11-1, with the majority favoring convictions for two armed bank robberies and three bombings.

There is no indication the hold-out juror has read the “Citizens Rule Book” or subscribes to its point of view.

The jurors selected to hear the five-week trial weren’t asked if they were familiar with the book, but prosecutors say that will change for the second trial.

“We didn’t ask if they either had seen or read the ‘Citizens Rule Book,”’ said Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie Lister.

“In retrospect, I wish we would have looked into that area,” the prosecutor said.

When Merrell and co-defendants Charles Barbee and Robert Berry are retried, Lister said prosecutors will ask prospective jurors if they are familiar with the book.

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Photo