Alaska Peacemakers Militia Case in Hands of Jurors

A federal prosecutor took a final shot at convicting three members of the Alaska Peacemakers Militia, saying five weeks of testimony clearly showed they intended to kill federal law enforcement officials.

Jurors in the case of Schaeffer Cox, Coleman Barney and Lonnie Vernon began deliberations Thursday morning after Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven Skrocki spent nearly an hour rebutting defense closing arguments.

Skrocki says what jurors heard from defense lawyers was a lot of excuses and attacks on government informants. He says Cox recruited militia members to kill federal agents he thought might be gunning for him.

Marti Cox, who's married to Schaeffer Cox, says she's relieved that the case is in the hands of the jury and that she's hopeful her husband will be acquitted.