AP New York
Anti-war activist sentenced for trespassing at recruiting station
By WILLIAM KATES
Associated Press Writer
January 23, 2006

BINGHAMTON, N.Y. -- A peace activist rebuked the U.S. government Monday before being sentenced to six months in federal prison for splattering his blood at an upstate military recruiting station.

"My conduct was honorable," said Daniel Burns, the first of four activists to be sentenced for the March 17, 2003 incident at the Army and Marine Corps recruiting station outside of Ithaca. The so-called St. Patrick's Four splattered blood onto the windows and walls, posters, pictures and an American flag to protest the then-looming war in Iraq.

Burns said the federal government was being hypocritical for prosecuting him while carrying out an illegal war in Iraq and conducting illegal wiretaps on American citizens.

"It is the U.S. government that is guilty of much larger crimes," said Burns.

About 100 supporters who had packed into the courtroom broke into song and applause as Burns was led away in handcuffs by U.S. marshals after the sentencing.

U.S. District Judge Thomas McAvoy said he wasn't punishing Burns for protesting the war, but for how he protested and what he did.

"The court doesn't question your motivation," the judge said. "I know you didn't go there with evil purpose in mind. You went in good conscience. But what you did clearly violated the law."

Burns, 45, also was fined $250 for contempt and ordered to share payment of $958 in restitution for cleaning up the damage at the recruiting station.

Burns' co-defendants _ Peter DeMott, 59; and sisters Teresa Grady, 40; and Clare Grady, 47 _ will be sentenced later this week. All four are members of Catholic Workers, a social justice organization.

The four said they spilled their blood to protest the then-impending war in Iraq, and under international law were not guilty of any crimes. They compared their actions to those of Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr. and Susan B. Anthony.

The U.S. Attorney's Office decided to prosecute the four after a county court jury deadlocked over whether they should be convicted of trespassing and criminal mischief, misdemeanors punishable by up to one year in jail.

They were convicted by a federal court jury following a noisy, sometimes contentious five-day trial that was frequently interrupted by the defendants and their supporters. During the trial, McAvoy cited three of the defendants for contempt for refusing to say who had drawn the blood that was used at the recruiting station and for repeatedly ignoring his previous order that they could not use international law in arguing their defense.

The four anti-war protesters, however, were acquitted of the most serious charge against them _ conspiracy to impede an officer of the United States, which carried a maximum sentence of up to six years in federal prison.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Miroslav Lovric said Monday that Burns and his co-defendants had exhibited a "complete disrespect" for the law.

"He is going to teach his children that same attitude ... and that is very troubling," Lovric said.

Lovric also told McAvoy that Burns was being investigated by the U.S. State Department for illegally traveling to Cuba last month while awaiting sentencing to participate in a protest at the U.S. prison at Guantanamo Bay.

On the Net:

www.stpatricksfour.org


www.newsday.com/news/local/wire/newyork/ny-bc-ny--recruitmentprotes0123jan23,0,211783.story?coll=ny-region-apnewyork

There's nothing more violent than an irrational peace activist.
What the heck, same goes for ELF, PETA, NOW etc.etc.

What I wanna know is where all these peaceniks and animal fanatics keep getting blood from so they can throw it at people while violating numerous federal, state, and local laws and creating a biohazard.

Also, why does EVERY leftist in the country keep harping about the war being "illegal"? Congress approved it, right? Even their fucking beloved UN approved it and is involved. So what the fuck is illegal about it?

They compared their actions to those of Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr. and Susan B. Anthony.

I hope he thinks getting raped by big black men was worth desecrating a recruiting station.  Let this be a lesson to all the hippy faggots.

Lovric also told McAvoy that Burns was being investigated by the U.S. State Department for illegally traveling to Cuba last month while awaiting sentencing to participate in a protest at the U.S. prison at Guantanamo Bay.

God forbid that one of these "humanitarians" would go to Cuba to actually protest Castro's human rights violations, no, that would be absurd.  

Around the same time, I had just moved to Anchorage, Alaska...Some lady was standing on a street corner in the snow protesting the war. So this guy, fed up with the protesters, does probably the funniest thing I've ever heard of: he gets in the bed of one of his buddies trucks and his friend drives him past the dumb protester bitch and soaks her!!! Guy was eventually sentenced to 20 hours of community service. HA HA

Just how much of an unstable sicko do you have to be to go around splattering your blood over people/things?