1/30/14 - A jury on Wednesday found Raulie Casteel of Wixom guilty of terrorism after he admitted to shooting at cars along the I-96 corridor in October of 2012. The jury took more than nine hours to deliberate the case. The 44-year-old Casteel was charged with terrorism, assault with intent to murder, and various weapons charges following the shootings. The jury's guilty verdict on terrorism comes after arguments by the defense that Casteel did not intend to terrorize anyone, which is a requirement of that charge. The prosecution argued that his intent was clear from his actions, and that he himself admitted to wanting to âsend a message to the government to back offâ while testifying about his paranoid delusions of persecution. The jury also found Casteel guilty of felonious assault, a lesser charge that was included in the original charge of assault with intent to murder. The question of intent was the focus of arguments to reduce that charge. While the defense is happy to have gotten that charge reduced, it is disappointed that the jury accepted the prosecution's argument in the terrorism charge and may appeal. The Wixom police officer who commanded the task force to find and bring in Casteel, as well as the victim of the shooting that led to the charge of assault with intent to murder, said they were happy with the results regardless of the reduced charge. The defense admitted to all of the weapons charges against Casteel and told the jury not to waste its time deliberating them. Casteel is scheduled for sentencing on March 3rd and has been lodged in the Livingston County Jail. His sentencing in Oakland County, where he pleaded no contest to charges stemming from the shootings, will take place next week. (TD)
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