Nuclear facilities securityY-12 protestors receive lengthy prison terms from judge
Judge Amul R. Thapar sentenced three peace protestors who breached the Y-12 Nuclear Security Complex at Y-12 National Security Complexat Oak Ridge, Tennessee, to lengthy sentences in federal prison. Judge Thapar stated that he did not believe the three defendants — Sister Megan Rice, 84. Michael R. Walli, 65, and Greg Boertje-Obed, 59 — were terrorists but, nevertheless, they had broken the law and must serve sentences which demonstrated that the law should be taken seriously.To reach the Highly Enriched Uranium Materials Facility (HEUMF) building at Y-12, the three peace activists, led by the octogenarian Sister Rice, cut through four fences and escaped detection by security guards authorized to use lethal force, and by ground sensors, sophisticated surveillance cameras, and other security equipment described by Y-12 as “…the most stringent security system in the world.”
Judge Amul R. Thapar sentenced three peace protestors who breached the Y-12 Nuclear Security Complex at Y-12 National Security Complex at Oak Ridge, Tennessee, to lengthy sentences in federal prison. After sentencing was delayed in the federal courthouse in Knoxville, Tennessee, for three weeks because of snow, Judge Thapar handed out a 35-month sentence to Sister Megan Rice, 84. Michael R. Walli, 65, and Greg Boertje-Obed, 59, each received 62 months.
In a case receiving national attention, the three had been found guilty of two felony counts, including damaging federal property and sabotaging facilities vital to the national defense. While each of the terms was not the maxims which Judge Thapar could have imposed, the sentences shocked the supporters present in the court room.
From the bench Judge Thapar stated that he did not believe the three defendants were terrorists but, nevertheless, they had broken the law and must serve sentences which demonstrated that the law should be taken seriously.
During the sentencing process on 28 January in the Howard H. Baker Jr. Federal Courthouse, the defense had called four character witnesses for Rice, Walli, and Boertje-Obed. Dr. Mary Evelyn Tucker, a professor of religion and author at Yale University, characterized Sister Megan Rice as “…a person of conviction…”, “…a transformational person for peace, justice, and the integrity of creation.” Wilford Carl Anderson, from Dilluth Minnesota, described his long-time friend Greg Boertje-Obed as “…a terrific person who helped him change from a violent person to a peaceful person.” Speaking directly to Judge Thapar, Anderson said of all three defendants, “…these are not harmful people. Let’em go.” The three have already spent eight months in prison while awaiting sentencing.
Prosecutor Jeffrey E. Theodore had questioned the credibility of four of the character witnesses before the court, describing them as long-time protestors who were sympathetic to the religious and political viewpoints of the defendants. He again asked Judge Thapar to consider the fact that the three defendants had displayed no remorse for their crimes and should be punished to the fullest extent of the law. Judge Thapar fined the three $53,000 for damages at Y-12.
