Home > Jury: KKK Leader Guilty of Making Pipe Bombs
Pittsburgh (KDKA/AP) A federal jury says the self-proclaimed "Imperial Wizard" of the White Knights, a Ku Klux Klan splinter group, is guilty of making pipe bombs and teaching others how to make explosives.
Late this afternoon, jurors found David Hull, 41, of Amwell Township, guilty on seven of ten firearms-related counts against him.
When federal agents raided Hull’s Washington County farm in February of 2003, they say they found what appeared to be the makings of pipe bombs.
While prosecutors say Hull was out to do harm, the defense has maintained that Hull knew he was surrounded by informants and was simply toying with investigators.
After days of deliberations, though, jurors convicted Hull of giving a disassembled pipe bomb to an undercover informant about how to make or use it. The jury also found him guilty of illegally possessing shotguns, other weapons and a silencer.
After the verdict was read, Hull turned to his fiancée and said, "I love you. The truth don’t matter anymore, huh?"
Hull will be sentenced in September. Though he could face up to 90 years in prison, he’s expected to face a shorter stay in jail based on federal sentencing guidelines that take into account his criminal history and the seriousness of the offenses.
Hull’s lawyer says he plans to appeal.