KILLINGS ARE RULED SELF-DEFENSE

Families Of 2 Men Shot At Drug Farm Could Sue

The FBI and Michigan State Police acted in self-defense when they shot and
killed the two men who owned and operated Rainbow Farm in Vandalia after a
four-day standoff, Cass County Prosecutor Scott Teeter said Monday.

Teeter released his findings after a four-month review of more than 1,000
pages of documents from the law enforcement agencies involved in the
standoff. Families of the dead men and some neighbors had questioned why the
men, who ran a campground notorious for music and marijuana smoking, had to
die.

Teeter said he sent the findings to the Michigan Attorney General's Office.

"I reviewed it as thoroughly as I've ever reviewed anything," Teeter said.
"How did something like this explode in a small town? That's a valid
question."

The families of the men killed are not satisfied with the findings. Bill
McMaster, a spokesman hired by the families to research documents connected
with the shootings, said the families are considering a wrongful-death
lawsuit.

The standoff began the afternoon of Aug. 31 when Tom Crosslin, 46, skipped a
court date relating to drug and weapons charges and allegedly set fire to
buildings on his farm, once rated by High Times magazine as one of the
nation's best places to get high. Cass County Sheriff's deputies arrived and
surrounded the farm. They were joined later by the FBI and State Police.

Three days after the standoff began and negotiations had failed, Crosslin
left the farm's main house, armed with a rifle, to get food and supplies
from a neighbor's farm.

Teeter said Crosslin passed FBI snipers hiding in the woods as he walked to
the neighboring farm and back. Crosslin did not see the agents, though they
saw him, and nothing happened, Teeter said.

Two hours later, Teeter said, Crosslin returned to the neighbor's farm
because he forgot a coffee pot. On his way back to his house, he spotted an
agent in the woods and raised his rifle, Teeter said. Two agents fired at
Crosslin, killing him.

Rolland Rohm, 28, Crosslin's business partner, remained in the main house.
The next morning, Teeter said, hostage teams had negotiated for Rohm to
surrender at 7 a.m.

The main house began burning at 6 a.m. Thirty minutes later, Teeter said,
Rohm ran out carrying a rifle and wearing black face paint. Teeter said Rohm
spotted a light armored vehicle, on loan from the Michigan National Guard,
as it moved to block one of the farm's driveways.

Two guardsmen were protruding from the top of the vehicle. Teeter said Rohm
pointed his rifle at them. Two State Police snipers nearby fired at Rohm and
killed him.

"It was justifiable homicide," Teeter said.

He said the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks and their aftermath delayed his
review.

The families said through a spokesman Monday that they aren't satisfied with
Teeter's explanation.

"We think that Teeter is playing fast and loose with the truth," McMaster
said. "There are two unexplained homicides caused by 120 police with
snipers, tanks and helicopters."