|
Local News - Saturday, February 19, 2005
U.S. indicts Ithaca war protesters
ROGER DUPUIS II Journal Staff
ITHACA -- Four peace demonstrators who poured their blood on government property during a 2003 antiwar rally at a military recruiting office in Lansing have been indicted in federal court.
Peter De Mott and Clare Grady received subpoenas early Friday. Teresa B. Grady and Daniel Burns were in contact with federal officials and were waiting for their subpoenas to be delivered during the afternoon. The indictments, for "conspiracy to impede an officer of the United States," come nearly a year after a local case ended in a mistrial in Tompkins County Court. De Mott said he understands that he and the others could face up to six years in prison and "hefty fines" if convicted.
"We're facing more serious jail time than some of the soldiers who committed atrocities against prisoners in Iraq," Burns said. "We believe that we are upholding international law in that the U.S. has acted criminally in invading Iraq, a sovereign nation, without the backing of the United Nations," Teresa B. Grady said.
She said the United States also was guilty of crimes against humanity, environmental degradation and causing the deaths of U.S. service personnel.
Following last April's mistrial, Dentes dismissed all charges pending against the four in Tompkins County Court. Dentes, who said then that he believed the jury "focused on political ideology instead of the facts," asked the U.S. Attorney's office to get involved in the case. /www.theithacajournal.com/news/stories/20050219/localnew...
|