From the January 2005 Idaho Observer:

Hinkson on trial for conspiracy to murder feds

"On the morning of 21 November, 2002, [at approximately 5:00 a.m.] I was startled out of a sound sleep by screams. I looked over at the door and saw approximately eight men storming into the room dressed in black and holding machine guns. I heard over and over, "Freeze, mother f***er." Then I heard someone say, "Where is your gun?" as I was being held down. "All of the machine guns were pointed at me. I was still partially asleep when the only agent not in SWAT or military dress dragged me out of bed. I did not at this time know who this agent was [or why they accosted me]." ~Dave Hinkson

BOISE—Last March, Dave Hinkson of Grangeville was found guilty of "structuring"—a charge the IRS uses to imprison people when they cannot be found guilty of willful failure to file income taxes. Before he could be sentenced, Hinkson, who has been held in Ada County Jail here since April, 2003, was charged with conspiracy to murder three federal agents.

The only evidence against Hinkson, and the reason why Hinkson has been held for almost two years without bond, is an audiotape recorded by federal informant J.C. Harding.

After Hinkson had explained, "I’m going to bury them with the law," Harding asked, "So you’re going to murder them. What are you going to do? What can you do?

HINKSON: I’m going to sue them.

HARDING: Right.

HINKSON: That’s what I have been doing. That’s the frustrating part. The only thing we got is the court system — which is so crooked.

HARDING: Got you. Hum, so you think you can beat them at their own system?

HINKSON: Yeah.

HARDING: I want to know something for sure. This is dead serious what I’m asking you. You talked to me about this on a couple of occasions. [Hinkson states unequivocally, "This was a bald-faced lie." Hinkson does have utter contempt for lawless government agents, but he has never, in the presence of friends or family, threatened to kill anyone]. Do you want to do it? Do you not want to do it?

HINKSON: What!?

HARDING: Your problem with three wise men.

HINKSON: I’m just suing them.

Except for witness testimony that would be tantamount to hearsay, the transcript above appears to be the entire case against Hinkson’s alleged "conspiracy" to hire a federal informant to kill IRS agents Stephen Hines and Gerald Vernon and Deputy Federal Prosecutor Nancy Cook.

Hinkson, the deposed CEO of Water Oz, a company that produces a line of colloidal minerals, has spent nearly $2 million in his own defense.

This is a very complex case that has everything to do with the government’s desire to punish Hinkson for his complete disregard for what Hinkson believes is lawless authority; its not about putting a dangerous criminal behind bars.