SHAC 7 Sentencing Update: 4 Sentenced

SENTENCING UPDATE. KEVIN, LAUREN, AND JAKE SENTENCED. SENTENCING DATES FOR JOSH HARPER, ANDREW STEPANIAN AND DARIUS FULLMER.

Please note: Only 4 of the defendants were sentenced today, as the court ran out of time today. Josh Harper will be sentenced tomorrow, September 13th, at 9 am. Please come out and support Josh! Andrew Stepanian and Darius Fullmer will be sentenced next Tuesday, September 19th. Please mark your calendars and plan on being at the federal courthouse in Trenton next Tuesday. Time TBA.

Today was the first day of sentencing for the SHAC 7 defendants. It was both an inspiring and a disappointing day. Inspiring to see a courtroom packed full of activists who had travelled from all corners of the country overflowing into the lobby--a powerful reminder that despite attempts by the government, activists will not be intimidated.

It was also a disappointing day, as the government dealt yet another blow to activists everywhere. Once again, the government reminded activists that speaking out too loud and being too effective won't be tolerated in post-9/11 America.

The organization SHAC USA was sentenced first, which is ultimately a symbolic act by the court, as the entity SHAC USA does not really exist. The court then moved on to the individual defendants. After a tirade of inflammatory rhetoric by the prosecutor, impassioned speeches by the defense, and commentary by the court, the court handed down the following sentences:
Kevin Kjonaas: 72 months
Lauren Gazzola: 54 months
Jacob Conroy: 48 months

In addition, the court ordered the (penniless) defendants to pay $1,000,001 in restitution.

While the sentences are unjust, just as this entire case has been, there is some victory in that most of the defendants received significantly less prison time than proscribed by the federal sentencing guidelines.

While we are temporarily losing several activists to prison, as everyone knows, the campaign will continue as it always has. This movement is much bigger than six people!

Unfortunately, the court had a scheduling conflict, so there was not enough time to sentence all of the defendants today. As a result, Joshua Harper was scheduled for sentence tomorrow, September 13th, at 9 am, and Darius Fullmer and Andrew Stepanian were scheduled for September 19th.

The sentences will be appealed, but in the mean time, sharpen those pencils and get ready to write! As soon as the defendants start their prison sentences, addresses will be available online--stay tuned to SHAC7.com.

A big thank you to all those who came out for sentencing--we hope to see you tomorrow and on the 19th! The three who were sentenced today were ordered to turn themselves in to the U.S. Marshall in 30 days to start their prison sentences.