OK man declares sovereignty; creates headache for court DEL CITY, Okla., April 29 (UPI) -- An Oklahoma judge said a man who refuses to recognize the government's right to impose laws or taxes and ignores the judicial process is "clueless." Shane Farrell Thomas, 37, of Del City is a self-proclaimed "sovereign" -- or person who refuses to recognize the government and regularly breaks laws then floods the court system with paperwork and claims, The Oklahoman reported Monday. The Southern Poverty Law Center, which combats racism and bigotry, estimates there are 100,000 sovereigns in the United States who, like Thomas, act out against law enforcement. In Thomas' case, he is charged with embezzling $100,000 from various individuals. A contractor by trade, several neighbors and customers said he took money for work he never completed. A judge appointed a public defender to represent Thomas but the lawyer said he intends to resign from the case. Thomas parried verbally with prosecutors and Oklahoma County Special Judge Larry A. Jones during a preliminary hearing Friday, but failed to impress the judge. "The arguments you're making today are nonsensical and not relevant to these proceedings," Jones told Thomas. You're clueless. Thomas' case was continued until June.