Man accused of beheading father claims he felt 'betrayed'
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Published Sep 11, 2024 • Last updated 1 day ago • 2 minute read
Justin Mohn is seen in a video posted to YouTube that allegedly showed the decapitated head of his father on Jan. 30, 2024. The video has since been deleted.
Justin Mohn is seen in a video posted to YouTube that allegedly showed the decapitated head of his father on Jan. 30, 2024. The video has since been deleted.
A Pennsylvania man accused of beheading his father and displaying the decapitated head in a gruesome video online said he felt “betrayed” by his dad.
Justin Mohn, 32, of Levittown, about 40 kilometres northeast of Philadelphia, made a court appearance Tuesday for the slaying of Michael Mohn on Jan. 30. He is facing murder, terrorism, theft and other charges.
Investigators said Mohn was arrested soon after a nearly 15-minute video titled, “Mohn’s Militia – Call to Arms for American Patriots,” was posted to YouTube. In the video, Mohn is alleged to have displayed the decapitated head twice while ranting for citizens to rise up and overthrow the U.S. government and kill federal agents and judges.
Prosecutors allege Mohn killed his defenceless father, a federal employee, by shooting him while he was using the bathroom.
Following the court hearing, Mohn was led out in handcuffs while wearing an orange prison jumpsuit. He spoke about why he allegedly killed his father.
“I and a lot of other people around America believe that the federal government has betrayed America, they are destroying the country, and we have to do something to take our country back,” Mohn told NBC affiliate WCAU.
After being pressed by the reporter about how he was going to achieve that goal, Mohn replied that he felt “betrayed.”
“He was a federal employee and betrayed me,” Mohn said. “I was trying to perform a citizen’s arrest. He resisted that citizen’s arrest. It’s lawful to use deadly force in that event.”
On Tuesday, prosecutors submitted evidence Mohn sent from prison, including several letters to the governor and the head of the National Guard base in Fort Indiantown Gap in Pennsylvania, where he was arrested.
Mohn is also accused of compiling a “to-do list” that included buying a gun that prosecutors believe was used to kill his dad.
“Essentially what this case is, Mr. Mohn, based on his beliefs, is making a call to arms to achieve the aims he believes in,” prosecutor Edward Louka said in court.
“He did that through violence. The violence was the murder of his father, who, it’s obviously not a coincidence, was a federal employee. He, essentially, needed that murder to get his message across.”
Mohn’s lawyer tried to dismiss the terrorism charges, arguing the accused had no followers and the only victim was his father.
“It’s a tragic case,” Steven Jones said outside the courtroom after one terrorism charge was dropped. “The loss of life is always tragic. I don’t think there are any winners here.”
In August, Mohn was declared competent to stand trial. His next court date is in October for a formal arraignment.
Justin Mohn, of Levittown, spoke to NBC10 after he was ordered to be held for trial on murder charges after he, allegedly, killed and decapitated his father, then held the dead man's head in a video online.
nbcphiladelphia.com
A Pennsylvania man accused of beheading his father and displaying the decapitated head in a video online said he felt "betrayed" by his dad.
torontosun.com