Another ‘Sovereign’ Accused of Shooting at Police in Texas
A self-described “sovereign citizen” - part of what the FBI recently described as a growing and dangerous antigovernment movement - goes on trial this week near Fort Worth, Texas, on charges of aggravated assault on a public servant.
James Michael Tesi is accused of shooting at police officer John Fossett in the Fort Worth suburb of Hurst last July 21 when the officer attempted to arrest Tesi on a warrant. As frequently occurs with sovereign citizens, people who believe federal and state laws don’t apply to them, the potentially deadly shooting involving the police officer started as a relatively minor traffic infraction.
The danger of contact between police and sovereign citizens was underscored in an important report released just four months ago by FBI analysts who say sovereigns pose the greatest domestic terrorism threat. That report followed by more than a year the notorious May 20, 2010, murders of two West Memphis, Ark., police officers by a father-son team of sovereigns; both were later killed by police.