84-year-old priest sentenced to 3 months

[rug]

for Oak Ridge protest

KNOXVILLE — An 84-year-old priest from Tacoma, Wash., was ordered to serve three months in prison for trespassing on federal property when he and other peace activists protested at the Y-12 National Security Complex in Oak Ridge.

William Bichsel told U.S. Magistrate Judge Bruce Guyton during his sentencing hearing Monday that he wanted to recommit himself to resistance to injustice and vowed to continue his protests against nuclear weapons.

The Knoxville News Sentinel reported the judge allowed Bichsel to return to Tacoma until the U.S. Bureau of Prisons decides where he should serve his sentence.

Bichsel and 11 other activists were convicted earlier this year of trespassing when they intentionally crossed a blue line separating state and federal property at the complex last year.

http://www.tennessean.com/article/20110913/NEWS03/110913016/84-year-old-priest-sentenced-3-months-Oak-Ridge-protest?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|FRONTPAGE|s

[Warpy]

1. With any rationality displayed by the court, it'll be an ankle bracelet

and three months of house arrest.

Then again, rationality seems to be in short supply these days.

[MineralMan]

2. Civil disobedience at work. No arrest; no effect.

Good for him and the others. They understand the process.