FALLBROOK : Younger Metzger in Contempt of Court
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The son of Fallbrook white supremacist Tom Metzger was found in contempt of court Wednesday for refusing to answer questions regarding his assets and those of his White Aryan Resistance group.
John Metzger, 24, refused to answer any questions on a routine debtor exam by invoking the Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination.
The debtor exam stems from a continuing effort by attorneys to collect on a $12.5-million judgment awarded to the family of an Ethiopian immigrant beaten to death in Portland, Ore., in November, 1988. The Metzgers, both John and Tom, two Portland skinheads and the WAR group were found liable for the killing of 27-year-old Muluge Seraw. San Diego attorney James McElroy said the younger Metzger was being “ridiculous” for pleading the Fifth Amendment.
“It’s like a badge of courage, and I think his father is pushing him toward this,” McElroy said.
Superior Court Judge James A. Milliken continued the jail sentence for one week to give Metzger time to consult with a court-appointed attorney. Metzger said he is indigent since his family’s property and assets were seized.
“If he does not answer my questions on April 8, he’ll go to jail,” McElroy said.
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