Michael W. Ryan
Encyclopedia
Michael W. Ryan was an American white supremacist, and murder
er.
Ryan was the leader of a small, anti-government and group that occupied a compound near Rulo, Nebraska
, in the early 1980s. Ryan and his group of followers had loose ties to Posse Comitatus
, and links to the Christian Identity
movement. Ryan's teachings included the supremacy of the white race, the inherent evil of Jews
(antisemitism) and a distrust of all established earthly authority, including governments. Ryan and his followers carried out months of burglary, under cover of night. Reselling the items obtained by theft, they supported the activities of the group and built up weapons and supplies they believed would be needed for the imminent battle of Armageddon
, which they assumed would occur in the form of a race war. Ryan was arrested in 1982 after reports, and a criminal investigation indicated that he had abused and killed 5 year old Luke Stice, and later killed fellow member James Thimm, after he had tortured him for several days.
Ryan employed the use of "the arm test
" in establishing whether or not the victims in the case were to be tortured. As Ryan was implicated to be the leader of the movement, he was noted to employ the measure to determine what to do with individuals inside the cult.
Ryan was tried, convicted and sentenced to death
on 12 September 1985. Ryan claims to have been in direct contact with God and vowed to spend his days in prison rewriting the Bible, but since has recanted on both. Ryan is currently held in Tecumseh State Correctional Institution
on death row
, awaiting execution.
Murder
Murder is the unlawful killing, with malice aforethought, of another human being, and generally this state of mind distinguishes murder from other forms of unlawful homicide...
er.
Ryan was the leader of a small, anti-government and group that occupied a compound near Rulo, Nebraska
Rulo, Nebraska
-History:The 'Leary' excavation is the main 'Oneota'- reference to the Missouri River. The Oneota were a 'Mississippi' equal culture that flourished from 1000 to 1650 AD. Oneota are the ancestors of Siouane-speaking tribes. The site is located near present Rulo. Around 1640, the area around the...
, in the early 1980s. Ryan and his group of followers had loose ties to Posse Comitatus
Posse Comitatus (U.S. movement)
The Posse Comitatus is a loosely organized far right social movement that opposes the United States federal government and believes in localism...
, and links to the Christian Identity
Christian Identity
Christian Identity is a label applied to a wide variety of loosely affiliated believers and churches with a racialized theology. Many promote a Eurocentric interpretation of Christianity.According to Chester L...
movement. Ryan's teachings included the supremacy of the white race, the inherent evil of Jews
Jews
The Jews , also known as the Jewish people, are a nation and ethnoreligious group originating in the Israelites or Hebrews of the Ancient Near East. The Jewish ethnicity, nationality, and religion are strongly interrelated, as Judaism is the traditional faith of the Jewish nation...
(antisemitism) and a distrust of all established earthly authority, including governments. Ryan and his followers carried out months of burglary, under cover of night. Reselling the items obtained by theft, they supported the activities of the group and built up weapons and supplies they believed would be needed for the imminent battle of Armageddon
Armageddon
Armageddon is, according to the Bible, the site of a battle during the end times, variously interpreted as either a literal or symbolic location...
, which they assumed would occur in the form of a race war. Ryan was arrested in 1982 after reports, and a criminal investigation indicated that he had abused and killed 5 year old Luke Stice, and later killed fellow member James Thimm, after he had tortured him for several days.
Ryan employed the use of "the arm test
The arm test
The arm test was used by white supremacist, and convicted murderer Michael W. Ryan. Ryan and his group of followers had loose ties to Posse Comitatus, and links to the Christian Identity movement....
" in establishing whether or not the victims in the case were to be tortured. As Ryan was implicated to be the leader of the movement, he was noted to employ the measure to determine what to do with individuals inside the cult.
Ryan was tried, convicted and sentenced to death
Capital punishment
Capital punishment, the death penalty, or execution is the sentence of death upon a person by the state as a punishment for an offence. Crimes that can result in a death penalty are known as capital crimes or capital offences. The term capital originates from the Latin capitalis, literally...
on 12 September 1985. Ryan claims to have been in direct contact with God and vowed to spend his days in prison rewriting the Bible, but since has recanted on both. Ryan is currently held in Tecumseh State Correctional Institution
Tecumseh State Correctional Institution
The Tecumseh State Correctional Institution is a medium/maximum security state correctional institution for the Nebraska Department of Correctional Services....
on death row
Death row
Death row signifies the place, often a section of a prison, that houses individuals awaiting execution. The term is also used figuratively to describe the state of awaiting execution , even in places where no special facility or separate unit for condemned inmates exists.After individuals are found...
, awaiting execution.