A Franklin County jury has recommended sentences totaling up to 63 years in prison against former Jefferson County resident Jeffrey Weinhaus after convicting him of three felonies and a misdemeanor stemming from a 2012 confrontation with police that ended in gunfire.
He will be sentenced Nov. 25 by retired Circuit Judge Keith Sutherland, who came out of retirement to hear the much-publicized case in a three-day trial at the Franklin County Judicial Center in Union.
The trial concluded late yesterday afternoon (Oct. 10). The jury of 10 women and two men took about three hours to reach the verdicts and then deliberated again to decide sentencing recommendations.
“The judge can run them (the jury-recommended sentences) concurrently or consecutively,” Franklin County Prosecuting Attorney Bob Parks said. “If all were to run consecutively, the sentence would be 63 years.”
The jury convicted Weinhaus of assault or attempted assault on a law enforcement officers (30-year recommendation); armed criminal action against a law enforcement officer (30-year recommendation); felony morphine possession (two-year recommendation); and misdemeanor marijuana possession (one year in county jail).
Hugh Eastwood, one of his Weinhaus’ two attorneys, said Weinhaus’ defense team plans to request a retrial during Weinhaus’ sentencing.
Weinhaus, 47, is an antigovernment Internet blogger who is known as “Bulletinman.” He grew up in the Twin Cities and is a 1985 graduate of Festus High School.
The charges arose from a Sept. 11, 2012, altercation with two Missouri State Highway Patrol troopers at a gas station near St. Clair, where he lived at the time.
The troopers shot him four times – twice in the chest and twice in the head – leaving him with life-threatening injuries after they said he reached for a gun holstered at his side.
He has since recuperated. Neither officer was injured during the confrontation.
The two troopers testified in the trial about Weinhaus’ behavior that day and the prosecution offered evidence from a crime-scene officer who found a shotgun and a second pistol in the blue Subaru Weinhaus drove to the gas station.
Officers said they arranged the meeting under a ruse to return computers to Weinhaus they had previously confiscated from his home, but their actual purpose was to arrest him on charges relating to a search of his home on Aug. 17, 2012.
That search came the day after Weinhaus posted a YouTube video in which he made comments that authorities said threatened the Crawford County prosecuting attorney, other judicial officials and law enforcement officers. Weinhaus gave a Sept. 17, 2012, deadline (Constitution Day) for the officials to change their ways or quit their jobs.
The video led to upgraded security at courthouses in several counties, including Jefferson County.
The two drug charges were filed in connection with the August 2012 search at Weinhaus’ home.
The assault and armed criminal action convictions were tied to action against Sgt. Henry Folsom of the patrol.
The state had filed four additional charges against Weinhaus. The jury found him not guilty on two of those charges – a second count of assault and armed criminal action, both involving the second trooper at the scene, Cpl. Scott Mertens.
The judge granted motions for acquittal on two charges, felonies alleging that Weinhaus resisted arrest and tampered with a judicial official (filed in connection with the YouTube video).
Judy Kropf, who divorced Weinhaus after his arrest, attended the trial. She said today she still supports him and thought he would be found not guilty based on the evidence.
“I was surprised at the verdict,” she said. “I thought the jury would go the other way.”
Parks, who served as the lead prosecutor in the case, said he was satisfied with the outcome of the trial.
“I was extremely happy,” he said. “The jury found him guilty on the most serious charges of assaulting a law enforcement officer and (recommended) the maximum penalty I asked for, which was 30 years in jail.”
Eastwood of St. Louis said the charges against Weinhaus should have been tried separately.
“We will request a new trial based on legal grounds,” Eastwood said. “I think this case was really three cases. There was a case involving the YouTube video, the case involving drugs and the case involving the two troopers.”
He said the evidence concerning the YouTube video could have adversely and unfairly influenced the jury.
During the trial, Eastman said Weinhaus was not going for his gun when the troopers shot him. Weinhaus did not take the stand, but Eastman presented eye-witnesses who testified they did not see Weinhaus attempt to draw his gun.
Eastwood said Weinhaus will remain in Franklin County Jail until he is sentenced.
For years, his family operated Twin City Auto Salvage on Truman Boulevard in Crystal City.
Weinhaus starting publishing The Bulletin, a newsletter he distributed at gas stations and convenience stores, in 1996. He later expanded onto the Internet.