PRINCE OF PEACE PLOWSHARES 
- Berrigan, Crane and Kelly out, Lewis-Borbely back in; Crane challenges probation to live at Jonah house

Less than three weeks shy of her release date, Susan Crane and her three cellmates in the Dublin, California federal prison were accused of possessing a crack cocaine pipe.  The pipe was discovered by a new guard, allegedly stashed under the cell sink.  As she and her cellmates were led away to the hole, Crane loudly announced what was happening to alert other prisoners to the details of the injustice.  Questioned in isolation, Crane was told all her cellmates would suffer the consequences if she did not confess to the pipe being hers.  She refused to lie.  Support rallied quickly, and the case just as quickly unraveled.  None of the women in the cell used drugs and the reporting guard was soon gone and under suspicion for falsifying her job application.  The women were released from the hole and related charges were dropped.

After two years in prison for her part in the Prince of Peace Plowshares disarmament action, Crane was released on February 26, on the significant condition that she not return to her home at Jonah House community in Baltimore. She was required to report to the probation office in Portland, Maine, in the district of the Bath Iron Works where the disarmers found the destroyer USS The Sullivans on Ash Wednesday, 1997, and damaged its Aegis weapons system with hand tools and blood pouring.

What amounts to internal exile was only the latest in a series of such probation restrictions on residence that have been imposed on Plowshares resisters.  Co-defendant Philip Berrigan, released November 20 after two years in prison for the Prince of Peace action, was permitted to return to Jonah House (as the resident of record) but forbidden while on probation to associate with other convicted felons, excepting only his wife, Elizabeth McAlister.

To affirm their right to community and reject the probation department’s unchallenged characterization of Jonah House as a place of “ongoing criminal activity,” Crane returned to Jonah House after her release, as did Michele Naar-Obed and her family.  Convicted Jubilee Plowshares resister Naar-Obed is also forbidden to return to Jonah House now, where she lived with husband Greg for several years and gave birth to daughter Rachel.  The family spent over 15 months exile in Norfolk and Duluth before returning home to resist the destruction of their community.

In April, Jonah House went public.  First, the community appealed for letters to the U.S. probation office in support of their community’s right to exist as a whole.  Then Berrigan, Crane, and Naar-Obed were interviewed on Democracy Now (“the exception to the rulers”), a Pacifica Network radio program, before attending a public demonstration and press conference at the Baltimore probation office.  Despite her failure to report in Maine, Crane was not arrested, and returned to Jonah House.
A month later, on May 13, federal marshals arrived at Jonah House and took Crane into custody as she gardened.  She was released later that day after promising to communicate daily with the Baltimore probation officer and report to Maine May 17, which she did.  At that time, she agreed to return again to appear before Judge Eugene Carter in Portland, Maine, on June 16.  Crane continues to live at Jonah House, as do Berrigan and Naar-Obed.

Meanwhile, in March, Prince of Peace Plowshares co-defendant Steve Kelly was released from federal prison, after completing his sentence.  He also is refusing to pay restitution.  Then on March 25, co-defendant Tom Lewis-Borbely was resentenced to three months more in jail, following his refusal to pay restitution in the case.  Following this probation violation hearing and Susan Crane’s in June, it is expected that Mark Colville (also already charged with violation), Phil Berrigan and Steve Kelly will also eventually return to appear in federal court in Portland on a probation violation.

For more information, contact Jonah House, 1301 Moreland Ave., Baltimore, MD 21216, (410)233-4067.

Letters of support can be sent to currently imprisoned Prince of Peace Plowshares member Tom Lewis-Borbely, c/o 136 Austin St., Worcester, MA 01609, his home address.  He is due to be released by June 25, free from further supervision.

UPDATE:
Susan Crane appeared in court in Maine June 16.  After hearing from Crane and the prosecutor’s request to revoke probation, Judge Carter stated that he saw no reason to revoke supervised release and there was no reason for her not to return to Jonah House. Crane affirmed that was her wish, but reminded the judge she could not compromise her conscience nor willingly pay restitution.

Carter’s response was that “I wouldn’t have the audacity to think that I could change your conscience.”