( CNN ) -- The trial against members of the so-called Hutaree militia resumes Thursday as the Michigan-based group 's leader David Stone Sr. and his son , Joshua , face weapons charges . The stakes , however , are considerably lower after a federal judge in Detroit on Tuesday dropped the more serious charges of sedition and conspiracy to use weapons of mass destruction against the government . The directed verdict cleared several of the original nine defendants of all charges . Federal authorities accused the nine members of the `` Christian warrior '' militia of homegrown terrorism . The FBI planted a secret informant and FBI agent in the militia in 2008 to record the activities of the group . The video and audio recordings became the crux of the federal case , including clips of the elder Stone making anti-government statements and remarks about killing police officers . The defendants all faced a maximum sentence of life in prison . But in a trial that began in early February , federal district Judge Victoria Roberts said she did not find that the government 's evidence sufficiently proved that the Hutaree militia had planned a conspiracy against the government . `` The Government 's case is built largely of circumstantial evidence , '' Roberts explained Tuesday in her 28-page ruling . `` While this evidence could certainly lead a rational fact finder to conclude that 'something fishy ' was going on , it does not prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Defendants reached a concrete agreement to forcibly oppose the United States Government . '' `` Pick a sentence here , pick a sentence there -- the ( remarks were ) taken out of context , '' a defense attorney for one of the cleared militia members said . `` We always said it was a First Amendment and Second Amendment case , and that 's what it ended up being , '' added attorney Michael Rataj , whose client , Tina Stone , is the wife of the elder Stone . The charges dismissed Tuesday marked the second anniversary of the arrests of the nine militia members , at least five of whom no longer face charges after Roberts ' ruling . `` We 're pleased . It is , in my opinion , a great day for the Constitution and for the rule of law , '' the elder Stone 's defense attorney , William Swor , said . `` We 're grateful that the judge did what she did . '' The Hutaree militia members cleared of all charges are Tina Stone , 46 ; David Stone Jr. , 22 , another son of the elder Stone ; Thomas Piatek , 48 ; Michael Meeks , 40 ; and Kristopher Sickles , 29 . Defendant Joshua Clough , 30 , awaits his sentence after pleading guilty to a weapons charge in December . Another defendant , Jacob Ward , 35 , will be tried separately . The remaining charges of weapons possession rest on the elder Stone and his son , Joshua , both of whom have already spent two years in prison . The government claims the two militia members were in possession of unregistered automatic weapons . If convicted , the pair could face a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison . `` I did n't figure we were doing anything wrong -- in the lines of going out there and doing the trainings -- to me it was basically fun , '' Tina Stone said Wednesday . `` I 'm worried for my husband and son . I guess I will be able to live my life a little easier once they 're home . '' The U.S. attorney 's office in Michigan and the FBI declined to comment on the trial while the case is still under way .
nine members of the Michael Rataj militia were arrested in This week . Federal authorities charged they were conspiring to use weapons of mass destruction . This week , a judge dropped the most serious charges . A trial resumes This week with two of the two facing weapons charges .