Stanko Denied Jury of Convicted Felons:
Complains about not being able to talk dirty to Jurors
Billings white supremacist Rudy Stanko continues racking up bizarre court cases. Early in July, the Montana Supreme Court refused to overturn his convictions for disorderly conduct and criminal mischief. Stanko, the self-proclaimed leader of the racist Church of the Creator, had argued he couldn't be convicted, because the jury wasn't made up of his peers. It seems the jurors weren't convicted felons and were registered voters, making them very different from Stanko. Stanko also believed the judge hindered his ability to influence jurors by not allowing him to use expletives when questioning them. The supreme court upheld the convictions, saying Stanko provided no legal precedent for any of his arguments.
Stanko's felony came in 1984 when he was convicted of selling tainted meat to a school lunch program. This was the beginning of many dubious cases involving Stanko. Just during 2000, Stanko has appeared in court for two escapades. In March, he was sited for numerous violations when he drove his speed boat onto the shore of the Yellowstone River. In June, officers responded to a call about a possible kidnaping at Stanko's home. While talking to Stanko outside, the officers heard a women yelling from inside. They found her handcuffed to a staircase. Stanko claimed he was detaining the woman for a bail bondsmen; however he was fined $500.
Stanko runs Creator Publishing in Billings. It sells book of the violently racist World Church of the Creator. Matt Hale, the person actually viewed as the leader of the group, says Stanko has been kicked out of the church and doesn't appreciate Stanko's business. Back in 1996, Hale wrote, "Mr. Stanko is making a living off our money selling our books" and concluded that Stanko is "interested in Rudy Stanko, and not the future of Creativity."