Terrorism Court Cases

Fur Shop Owners Rebuked in Lawsuit Against Protestors

With all the “terrorism enhancement” news this week, I missed some good news (I know, it’s shocking, GNR can be full of so much “eco-terrorism” gloom and doom). But on Tuesday a federal judge defended the rights of activists to protest despite the “terrorism” rhetoric of the fur salon’s owners. Schumacher Furs has been the […]

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First Operation Backfire Defendant Sentenced as “Terrorist”

A federal judge labeled property destruction in the name of the environment “terrorism” yesterday and sentenced the first of the Operation Backfire defendants to 13 years in prison. Activists around the country– and particularly the remaining nine defendants– had been watching the sentencing very carefully, because the judge’s tenor may foreshadow the remaining court dates. […]

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“My Brother, The ‘Terrorist’”

Check out this oped in The L.A. Times by Caroline Paul, whose brother Jonathan is one of the defendants who faces “terrorism enhancement” penalties for environmentally-motivated property crimes: in this case, an arson against a horse slaughtering plant. An interesting sidenote is that Caroline was a San Francisco firefighter for 13 years. Here’s an excerpt: […]

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Closer Look at Court Ruling on Applying “Terrorism Enhancements” to Activists

“Terrorism enhancement” penalties may apply to a group of activists charged with property crimes in the name of protecting the environment and animal rights, a U.S. District Court judge ruled Monday. But the burden will be heavily on the government to “present clear and convincing evidence” during sentencing in order for the T-word to apply. […]

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Breaking News: Judge Rules That “Terrorism Enhancement” May Apply to Activists

A U.S. District Judge in Oregon just ruled that “terrorism enhancement” penalties may apply to environmental and animal rights activists in the “Operation Backfire” cases. I’m sifting through all this now and hope to post more tonight. Stay tuned.

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Government Seeks “Terrorism Enhancement” for Environmental Activists

They’ve been “terrorists” from day one. Since their arrest for a string of property crimes against corporations they believed were destroying the planet, a group of environmental activists from the Northwest have been relentlessly branded “eco-terrorists” and “domestic terrorists” in government press conferences, Congressional hearings and in the media. On Tuesday, though, in federal court […]

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“Terrorism Enhancement” Hearing Rally and Press Conference

Just received this, about the “terrorism enhancement” hearing for the Operation Backfire cases. Activists are also holding a rally at the same time, outside the courthouse… MEDIA ADVISORY For Immediate Release: May 10, 2007 Contacts: Lauren Regan, Civil Liberties Defense Center, Eugene, OR, 541-687-9180 Alejandro Queral, NW Constitutional Rights Center, Portland, OR, 503-295-6400, 202-491-6204 Defendants […]

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Documentary About Jeff Luers Available Online

This film was put out a while back, but recently uploaded to YouTube (with the consent of the filmmakers, it looks like). It’s five parts, and worth watching. It was produced before Luers’ sentence was reduced, but is an interesting look at the case from the perspective of him and his supporters. Here’s the blurb […]

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Luers’ “Eco-terrorism” Sentence Overturned: Did the Court Go Far Enough?

In a move environmental activists are, cautiously, calling a victory in the Green Scare, the Oregon Court of Appeals recently overturned the massive sentence handed down to an environmental activist who admittedly torched three SUVs. Jeff “Free” Luers was sentenced to 22 years in prison for his role in arson at the Romania truck lot […]

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Article on SHAC 7 in New Textbook: Opposing Viewpoints: Animal Experimentation”

The article I wrote for Z when the SHAC 7 were arrested has been printed in the “Opposing Viewpoints” textbook series published by Greenhaven Press and Thomson Gale. It isn’t a new piece, but it’s good news that information on the SHAC 7 case will be available in 7,000 libraries and classrooms.

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