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PLOUGHSHARES UPDATES
Attorneys for the three
nuns convicted of sabotaging a nuclear missile site in Colorado presented
oral arguments for their
appeal on October 1. One major issue is the severity of the charge
compared to the nature of the protest, where only a fence was cut and
damage to the silo was negligible. Bill Sulzman sat in on the brief
hearing: "Judge Hartz questioned the government with ''So the fact
that this was a protest case is what made it sabotage and only damage
done in a protest case can rise to the level of sabotage.' The
prosecutor had admitted that if a farmer had done the same amount of
damage because he wanted the fence out of the way for some reason
that that would not be sabotage even if the same level of security
forces responded (helicopters, dozens of troops and multiple
vehicles). This assertion seemed to trouble all three judges. It is
impossible to know if they were only playing devil's advocate or if
they really were troubled by this assertion." A decision from the
10th Circuit is expected within 2-3 months. Prison writings of the
women are available at www.jonahhouse.org/sacred_earth.htm Letters of support can be sent to Jackie Hudson 08808-039, Federal Prison Camp, Victorville, POB 5100, Adelanto, CA 92301; Carol Gilbert 10856-039, Alderson FPC, Box A, Alderson, WV 24910; and Ardeth Platte 10857-039, FPC Danbury, Pembroke Station Rt. 37, Danbury, CT 06811-0379.  The Nuclear Resister October 2004 |
