During sentencing hearing today, nine of the Greenpeace
activists who pled guilty on January 8, 2002 to the misdemeanor
charge of conspiring to trespass during a peaceful protest against
Bush’s national missile defense program, received one year
probation and will not serve further jail time. In addition the
nine activists will not have to pay any fines. The prosecuting
attorney, Sharon McCaslin,has indicated that she may seek jail time
for some or all the remaining eight defendants who will be
sentenced on April 15, 2002. The misdemeanor charge carries a
maximum sentence of six months in jail.
“We are very pleased these nine activists are going home but the
government is needlessly prosecuting the remaining defendants,”
said Aaron Dyer, one of the attorneys for the Greenpeace
defendants. “That the government would compound this injustice by
seeking jail time for the rest of these peaceful protestors, most
of whom have no prior convictions, is an affront to the principles
of democracy.”
The U.S. Attorney’s office had initially sought felony charges
for the 15 Greenpeace activists and two freelance journalists,
following a peaceful protest against national missile defense at
Vandenberg Air Force Base in July 14,2001. It was the first time in
the history of the base that peaceful protestors had been charged
with felonies.
On January 8, 2002, the U.S. Attorney’s office agreed to drop
the felony charges. In addition, Greenpeace’s U.S. office signed a
civil consent decree that it will not participate in protests that
break the law at specified military bases supporting national
missile defense.
Prior to today’s sentencing hearing, most of the activists
returned to the front gate of Vandenberg Air Force Base with
banners that read, “Still Protesting Star Wars.” The activists
returned to the base in order to show that in spite of the ordeal
of the past months, they are still committed to protesting against
national missile defense.
Court statements available upon
request.
