a rogue amish sect leader and seven of his followers who were jailed for brutally chopping off the hair and beards of their rivals in their eastern ohio community have had their sentences reduced sam mullet sr and 15 others were convicted three years ago of restraining and forcibly disfiguring amish people with whom they disagreed in a bid to destroy an important symbol of their beliefs but after an appeals court dismissed hate crimes convictions against them last year, eight of them were resentenced on their remaining charges   mainly, conspiracy to obstruct justice   on monday mullet, who originally received a 15 year sentence, was ordered to serve 10 years, nine months, in prison meanwhile, sentences for four other men who received seven years were cut to five years scroll down for video  court hearing: a rogue amish sect leader and seven of his followers who were jailed for brutally chopping off the hair and beards of rivals in their eastern ohio community have had their sentences reduced following an appeal above, members of the bergholz community are seen leaving federal court in cleveland on monday  leaving court: sam mullet sr and 15 others were convicted three years ago of restraining and forcibly disfiguring amish people with whom they disagreed eight of them were resentenced on their remaining charges   mainly, conspiracy to obstruct justice   on monday abov, more amish people leave the courthouse  leader: mullet (pictured, left, in his police mug shot, and right, standing in the front yard of his home in bergholz in 2011), who originally received a 15 year sentence, was resentenced to 10 years and nine months in prison  and the sentences for three men who initially got five years were lowered to three years, seven months the other eight convicts, including six women, have already served their sentences none of the 16 defendants spoke in court hair and beards have spiritual significance in the amish faith amish men do not shave their beards after marriage, believing it shows their devotion to god during the 2011 attacks, some of the victims were awakened in the middle of the night by members of the bergholz based breakaway amish group, before being restrained and viciously disfigured at an earlier court hearing, a sheriff testified that one bishop's hair was unevenly chopped to the scalp by mullet's followers, leaving his skin bloody another victim claimed four or five men dragged him out of his house by his chest length beard and chopped it to within 1 1/2 inches of his chin prosecutors argued the original sentences should have remained intact because of the defendants' religious motivation and the fact that the sentences were lower than what federal guidelines allowed however, attorneys for all the imprisoned men asked judge dan aaron polster at the court in cleveland on monday to reduce their clients' sentences to time served, allowing for their release protest: sentences for four other men who received seven years were cut to five years above, werner lange holds a sign reading, 'free the amish', as he stands outside the federal court in cleveland, ohio, on monday  met by the press: the sentences for three men who initially got five years were lowered to three years and seven months the other eight convicts, including six women, have already served their sentences  shocking assaults: during the 2011 attacks, some of the victims were awakened in the middle of the night by members of the bergholz based breakaway amish group, before being restrained and viciously disfigured  edward bryan, one of mullet's attorneys, told the court it would be an 'irrational fear' to think his client   who was accused of ruling his followers with an iron fist   would commit another crime the sixth circuit us court of appeals dismissed the hate crime convictions because of improper jury instructions by polster on whether the 16 attacked their victims because of their religion however, on monday, judge polster made it clear that he remains convinced the hair and beard cutting assaults were 'substantially motivated by the victims' religion' he said the defendants inflicted trauma on the victims and trampled on their first amendment right of religious freedom 'the remaining eight defendants still warrant substantial sentences,' he said religious: at an earlier court hearing, a sheriff testified that one bishop's hair was unevenly chopped to the scalp by mullet's followers, leaving his skin bloody above, five amish men at the courthouse three years ago  sons: mullet's sons johnny (left) and lester (right) were among those charged in the 'beard cutting' attacks  although mullet did not participate in any of the attacks, assistant us attorney bridget brennan said in court that he exerted tight control as bishop and leader of the sect she said that he encouraged the assaults, each of which began and ended at mullet's home 'these were orchestrated, terrorizing attacks,' ms brennan said mr bryan tried to evoke sympathy for samuel mullet by pointing out that his wife of nearly 40 years died in november and that some members of the sect, situated near the panhandle of west virginia, have left the group, including a co defendant whose husband was  resentenced on monday 'no one is trying to minimize what happened,' mr bryan said 'it was wrong my client knows that' 'tight control': mullet (pictured) did not participate in any of the attacks, but assistant us attorney bridget brennan said in court he exerted tight control as bishop and leader of the sect, and encouraged the attacks  the community has been shunned since the attacks by other amish communities and hasn't been able to find another amish bishop willing to perform marriages and funerals, the defense said 'a stigma will forever be attached to this community,' mullet's attorneys said ohio has an amish population of around 61,000   second only to pennsylvania   with most living in rural counties south and east of cleveland they have a modest lifestyle and are deeply religious their traditions of traveling by horse and buggy and forgoing most modern conveniences distance themselves from the outside world and symbolize a yielding to a collective order
sam mullet amish mullet
sam mullet sr and 15 others  convicted three years ago of 'beard cutting'. they restrained and chopped off hair and beards of amish rivals in 2011 . but last year, hate crimes convictions were overturned following appeal . on monday, seven men were resentenced and had prison terms reduced . mullet's 15 year sentence was lowered to only 10 years and nine months . eight other defendants, including six women, have already served terms . hair and beards have great spiritual significance within the amish faith 