Was Dennis Marx part of the sovereign citizen movement?
Authorities Friday labeled him as part of the extremist faction. But others cast doubt, saying they saw no evidence that Marx embraced the ideology.
Beliefs can vary from person to person. But purported sovereign citizens generally believe they are not subject to local, state or federal regulations, policies or laws. Instead, they declare themselves free born and refuse to pay taxes, carry a driver’s license, register their vehicles or license their dogs. Some try to lay claim to what they determine are secret U.S. Treasury accounts the government sets up for each citizen at birth, after it abandoned the gold standard.
Telltale signs often mark those in the movement. Ideologues won’t use zip codes in their addresses, may use a copyright symbol with their name or odd punctuation, and write with red ink to avoid subjecting themselves to false government.
Mark Pitcavage, the Anti-Defamation League’s expert on sovereign citizens, said he saw no such signs in the lawsuit Marx filed against the Forsyth sheriff’s department last year, accusing its officers of illegal searches and excessive force.
Without other evidence, or Marx’s declaring that he was a sovereign citizen, it could be a case of mistaken identity, he suggested. “This whole question about whether or not he was a sovereign citizen is something I really want someone to look into,” he said.
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