JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A man charged with murder in the death of his girlfriend in December has filed a handwritten sovereignty claim, meaning he doesn't recognize the court system as having jurisdiction over him.
Prince Sanders is accused of shooting and killing 23-year-old Telia Toaltoan (pictured, below).
In court Tuesday, Sanders tried to talk to the judge about the filing. Judge Adrian Soud said he'd get his chance, and to wait for the appropriate time.
When Sanders kept talking, Soud warned him to stop and then had him removed from the court.
Sanders wants a Nelson hearing on his lawyer's alleged ineffectiveness. That has been tentatively set for July 30.
The sovereign movement is generating a lot of followers around the country, some estimates say a couple hundred thousand. The movement is anti-tax and anti-government and claims that individuals are sovereign citizens and the U.S. justice system has no jurisdiction over them.
The sovereign movement has had controversy in the past with the FBI classifying sovereign citizens domestic terror threats and anti-government extremists.
Many sovereign citizens have claimed in court that they aren't subject to U.S. law and failed.