Trident sentences just in

[MacGregor Eddy]

5 sentenced for Bangor submarine protest
By KOMO-TV STAFF

TACOMA -- Two Jesuit priests, a nun, a retired teacher and a social
worker who cut through fences at Naval Base Kitsap-Bangor over a year
ago to protest nuclear weapons were each sentenced to prison Monday.



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Jesuit priest Stephen Kelly, 61, of Oakland, Calif. and retired
teacher Susan Crane, 67, of Baltimore, were given 15-month sentences,
while social worker Lynne Greenwald, 61, of Tacoma, was given a 6-
month prison sentence.

The judge gave lighter sentences to the two protesters who were over
80 years old. Jesuit priest Bill Bichsel, 82, of Tacoma, was sentenced
to three months in prison and three months of home monitoring, while
sister Anne Montgomery, 84, of Redwood City, Calif, was sentenced to
two months in prison and four months home electronic monitoring.

U.S. District Court Judge Benjamin Settle ordered Father Kelly taken
to prison immediately. Settle was going to allow the others to report
to prison next month, but they told the judge they might not show up,
so Settle ordered that they be taken to prison immediately, too.

The five protesters were convicted in December of conspiracy,
trespassing and destruction of government property for the Nov. 2,
2009 incident at the submarine base along Hood Canal.

Kelly told KOMO Newsradio before the sentencing that he was prepared
to go to prison.

"I think it's really worth it," he said. "I have the solace of my
conscience, as I think this is just one little step against nuclear
weapons and someday we'll be free, and maybe not in my lifetime, but I
have hope."

Court documents say the group cut through fences to reach an area near
where nuclear warheads are stored in bunkers. The weapons facility in
Puget Sound assembles and maintains nuclear-tipped Trident missiles
and other weapons.

The protesters put up banners, scattered sunflower seeds and prayed
until they were arrested.

The five defendants said nuclear warheads stored and on submarines at
the base are illegal under international, national and humanitarian
law, but a judge prohibited them from using international law and the
lethality of nuclear weapons as a defense. The trial hinged on
straightforward charges relating to trespassing and property damage.

Montgomery said in a sentencing document filed last week that she and
others have taken responsibility for their actions.

About 250 demonstrators gathered outside the federal courthouse during
the sentencing.

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