Appearing February 2 at separate probation revocation hearings before Federal Judge Gene Carter in Portland, Maine, Phil Berrigan and Susan Crane each answered to charges of committing a crime, associating with felons, and not paying restitution. For their participation in the December, 1999, Plowshares vs. DU action, Berrigan and Crane were convicted of violating the probation portion of their sentence for the Prince of Peace Plowshares action of February 14, 1997. That action involved six people who boarded the USS The Sullivans at Bath shipyards and hammer on ship controls and Tomahawk cruise missile launchers.

Before a courtroom filled to capacity with families, friends, community members and peacemakers from the area and surrounding states, Berrigan and Crane were each sentenced to one year in prison, and immediately bound over to the U.S. marshals for eventual transport to federal prisons.

Each had the opportunity to speak in turn that the real crime is committed by our government's war making, killing, and poisoning. Berrigan and Crane also quoted the data recorded and substantiated by Dr. Rosalie Bertell that 1.3 billion people have been killed, sickened or maimed by nuclearism over the past 55 years. They elaborated on the U.S. government's role in all of it. Crane asked the judge at one point how he could justify his position and not uphold the Constitution and the treaties under International Law. The judge responded by saying that he did not accept them. People in the courtroom gasped in disbelief of what he had acknowledged. Berrigan spoke strongly and firmly that he hated to think that anyone on the bench or in the courtroom would be held captive to any law that protected such horrific weapons.

Fr. Steve Kelly continues to serve his full sentence in a Maryland prison for the Plowshares vs. DU conviction.

Letters of support should be sent to Berrigan, Crane, and Kelly at their prison addresses (see Inside & Out).