Posted by Kevin (67.201.74.17) on November 29, 2002 at 10:33:12:
In Reply to: please help anti-suv activist sentenced for 23 yrs! posted by kev on October 27, 2002 at 23:26:09:
Would you be so supportive of someone who blew up a deserted abortion clinic? Of course not, because anti-abortionism is a rightist cause and anti-SUV-ism is a leftist one. Arson is arson. It's a serious crime. It's a good thing "Free" was locked up before he hurt someone.
: 22 year old activist serving 23 year sentence needs help.
:
: Please check out the website for more information about the case. http://www.freefreenow.org/
: All types of support are needed besides financial support for the appeals process: educational, spreading the word thru the media etc. This type of support could very well be the most imporatnt kind, as pressure on the oregon courts may have some effect....it is hard to say yet.
: he needs the help.....
:
: http://www.freefreenow.org/
: Last year in Eugene, Oregon, 22 year old forest defense activist Jeffrey "Free" Luers was sentenced to an astonishing 23 years in prison on June 11th 2001, for one arson, and one attempted arson.
: To make a statement about Global Warming, Free and a friend named "Critter" set fire to 3 Sport Utility Vehicles in a deserted car dealership called Romania Chevrolet. While Free admitted responsibility for this action, he was also accused of attempted arson, at the Tyree Oil Company, an incident which never actually took place, and that Free denied all involvement in.
: Although Free PROVED beyond a doubt that no threat was ever intended or posed to life in the course of his actions; he was convicted on speculation and circumstantial evidence, which in Oregon, carries the same weight as hard evidence. The FBI and District Attorney also used an active media campaign, as part of their accelerated "anti-terrorist" mandate to impose over two decades of jail time for an action which resulted in $40,000 worth of property destruction and would normally be considered criminal mischief or vandalism. The FBI and prosecution scared the public by making Free look like a threat to the community, thus destroying jury impartiality.