# Why Doesn't This Guy Get Arrested? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [January 6, 2017, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-doesnt-this-guy-get-arrested/776485 "2017-01-06T22:10:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2017, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-doesnt-this-guy-get-arrested/776485/21 "2017-01-09T22:15:08Z")
> [@Horatius](#): > > There’s basically no logic to it. Yah think? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2017, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-doesnt-this-guy-get-arrested/776485/22 "2017-01-09T22:17:01Z")
Perhaps it was an admiralty court. I’ve heard that they don’t always have jurisdiction… ---
**Author:** ![OldOlds](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/a3d4f5/32.png) [@OldOlds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OldOlds)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2017, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-doesnt-this-guy-get-arrested/776485/23 "2017-01-10T00:54:59Z")
Thanks for the insight. I mean, I have been aware of the sovereign citizen lunacy, but I was surprised when the judge let him walk away without repercussions (in the first video) It is really odd to see these guys try and make their arguments. The logic just isn’t… there. I’ve always wanted to ask them: OK, if the state doesn’t have power over those who know the “tricks,” what would we do about rapists, theives, and murderers? Do they get to walk free? And if your answer is “posse of the people,” what happens when said person flees to a state 1200 miles away? Anyone know what the stock answer is? ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2017, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-doesnt-this-guy-get-arrested/776485/24 "2017-01-10T01:43:34Z")
> [@OldOlds](#): > > Thanks for the insight. I mean, I have been aware of the sovereign citizen lunacy, but I was surprised when the judge let him walk away without repercussions (in the first video) The defendant wasn’t in custody at that point, I don’t think. He probably didn’t even necessarily have to be there for what appears to have been a minor procedural hearing. If before he walked out he had been held in contempt and LEO’s had attempted to arrest him it would be different but that hadn’t happened yet. The rules around when the State is entitled to hinder your liberty are (quite rightly) very strict and the guy just hadn’t reached that point yet, I think. So while he seems to have concluded that his walkout was some sort of triumphant “victory” it was a victory over nothing. ---
**Author:** ![Horatius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horatius/32/3572_2.png) [@Horatius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatius)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2017, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-doesnt-this-guy-get-arrested/776485/25 "2017-01-10T03:37:53Z")
> [@Princhester](#): > > Yah think? 😉 Ah hA! You “think” you’ve got me, but I know that “Thinking” requires you to subject yourself to the “Thin-King”! There’s no way a Fat Man on the Land will ever submit to the “Thin-king”! And yeah, that’s exactly what they sound like most of the time. ---
**Author:** ![Horatius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horatius/32/3572_2.png) [@Horatius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatius)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2017, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-doesnt-this-guy-get-arrested/776485/26 "2017-01-10T03:43:03Z")
> [@OldOlds](#): > > The logic just isn’t… there. I’ve always wanted to ask them: OK, if the state doesn’t have power over those who know the “tricks,” what would we do about rapists, theives, and murderers? Do they get to walk free? > … > Anyone know what the stock answer is? On a serious note, they usually fall back on some notion of “doing no harm”. The notion is that the only _real_ crimes are those that have an actual victim, who is _actually harmed_ by the actions of the criminal. So murderers and rapists would still be subject to prosecution. Where they fall down is in the notion of _potential_ victims. The classic example is in drunk driving. They argue that, until you _actually_ run into and injure or kill someone, that DUI offenses are illegal. They usually take a mulligan on “attempted murder” and the like. ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2017, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-doesnt-this-guy-get-arrested/776485/27 "2017-01-10T04:15:41Z")
> [@Princhester](#): > > The defendant wasn’t in custody at that point, I don’t think. He probably didn’t even necessarily have to be there for what appears to have been a minor procedural hearing. Wasn’t he acting as his own attorney? In that case, he’d have to be present, surely? ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2017, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-doesnt-this-guy-get-arrested/776485/28 "2017-01-10T04:49:14Z")
I don’t know enough about criminal procedure to say for sure, but certainly around here not turning up to a minor pre-trial hearing is discourteous and not usually a good idea and could conceivably (in the judge’s discretion) result in the issue of a warrant, but as a matter of practice if not strict law isn’t likely to attract any sanction. ---
**Author:** ![Flyer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/flyer/32/7298_2.png) [@Flyer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flyer)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2017, 7:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-doesnt-this-guy-get-arrested/776485/29 "2017-01-10T07:00:54Z")
He evidently didn’t learn his lesson. From a few months ago: > [@](#): > > Ernie is now looking to have another round in court. On September 1st, He will be appearing in the Lincoln County Court in Eureka, MT to fight a ticket he received for driving without a driver’s license. [http://montana.redoubtnews.com/2016/09/01/montanas-natural-man-back-court/](http://montana.redoubtnews.com/2016/09/01/montanas-natural-man-back-court/) And just a few days ago: > [@](#): > > Ernie was arrested last month and has a new Omnibus hearing Thursday January 5th, 2017. > **[Montana Natural Man back in court again!](http://www.paulstramer.net/2017/01/montana-natural-man-back-in-court-again.html)** > > Ernie Wayne terTelgte , The Montana Natural Man,  first gained the attention of patriots across the nation when he amassed millions of views... ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2017, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-doesnt-this-guy-get-arrested/776485/30 "2017-01-10T20:59:32Z")
“When you’re in a hole stop digging” is wisdom these clowns seem strangely immune to. ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2017, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-doesnt-this-guy-get-arrested/776485/31 "2017-01-10T22:18:36Z")
That’s because they don’t think they are in a hole. They think they have found magic incantations that allow them to soar above the ground. I wonder how many instances of hitting the ground with a thump it will take before they realise the incantations don’t work; they may never, I suppose. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2017, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-doesnt-this-guy-get-arrested/776485/32 "2017-01-10T23:38:03Z")
Like kids and stoves, I suspect each one needs to learn for him/herself. Profiting from others’ experience just isn’t in their nature. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2017, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-doesnt-this-guy-get-arrested/776485/33 "2017-01-11T01:09:32Z")
I liken them more to kids hiding under blankets, supremely confident in the rule that says the night monsters can’t get them because… blankets. ---
**Author:** ![iamthewalrus\_3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/258eb7/32.png) [@iamthewalrus\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamthewalrus_3)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2017, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-doesnt-this-guy-get-arrested/776485/34 "2017-01-12T21:42:32Z")
> [@Monty](#): > > Wasn’t he acting as his own attorney? In that case, he’d have to be present, surely? But not “have to be present” in the sense that he could be arrested and held against his will for trying to leave. I’m fairly sure that if, during a hearing, one of the lawyers tries to leave the room, he will not be arrested on a criminal charge. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-doesnt-this-guy-get-arrested/776485.md?page=1)