Millersburg, USA - Five members of a breakaway Amish sect near Steubenville, Ohio, accused of cutting the beard of an Amish bishop in this rural farm country waived their preliminary hearings today before a judge and will head to court on felony charges of kidnapping and aggravated burglary.
The case against Johnny, Daniel and Lester Mullet, along with Eli and Levi Miller, was sent to Holmes County Common Pleas Court, where a county grand jury is expected to hear evidence and present an indictment in the coming weeks.
All five appeared briefly in court, dressed alike in blue denim, and said nothing. Their lawyer, Andy Hyde, said afterward that he could not comment on the case and hadn't seen the state's evidence against his clients.
In Ohio, detailed descriptions of alleged crimes are not presented in affidavits, as they are in Pennsylvania, until the grand jury returns charges.
The five men are believed to have acted at the direction of Sam Mullet, 66, bishop of the Amish community in Bergholz, Jefferson County, in retaliation for actions taken against him in a dispute over church discipline and practices.
Two of those accused are Mr. Mullet's sons. Authorities are investigating similar attacks in other Ohio counties that Sheriff Fred Abdalla of Jefferson County believes were orchestrated by Mr. Mullet.