updated June 20 2000....

Brooks Anderson
Duluth, MN
SOA 10

Judy Bierbaum
Albuquerque, NM
SOA 10

Tom Bottolene
St. Paul, MN
SOA 10

Chuck Bulter
Rochester, MN
SOA 10

Gerhard Fischer
Brookfield, WI
SOA 10

Kathleen Fisher
Portland, OR
SOA 10

John Honeck
Hamlin, NY
SOA 10

Margaret Knapke
Dayton, OH
SOA 10

Charlie Liteky
San Francisco, CA
SOA 10

Megan Rice
Baltimore, MD
SOA 10
and SOA 23

Notice DoD guards on steps behind us.

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SOA protesters gladly go to prison for trespassing
Published 06/09/2000 Columbus Ledger-Enquirer

Jason E. Miczek / Staff Writer

Just before Charles J. Liteky walked into federal court, he adjusted his grip on a protest sign and looked down at his homemade white wooden cross.

"I'm pretty sure the sentencing will involve time in federal prison -- that's what we're planning on, so there's no reason to believe otherwise," Liteky said.

He was right.

The Medal of Honor recipient was sentenced to one year in prison and given a $10,000 fine Thursday for trespassing at a U.S. Army School of the Americas protest in November. He also has a prior conviction of property damage during a previous demonstration at the school. Liteky served six months for that demonstration.

A federal judge sentenced Liteky and nine other supporters of the School of the Americas Watch, an active organization dedicated to protesting the School of the Americas at Fort Benning, to a variety of punishments for trespassing during the November protest. Each protester, with the exception of Liteky, faced a maximum sentence of six months in jail and a $5,000 fine.

U.S. District Court Judge Hugh Lawson failed to follow the pattern of previous Judge J. Robert Elliott, who handed down maximum sentences in previous School of the Americas trespassing cases.

Megan Gillespie Rice, 70, a nun from Baltimore, Md., was the only protester taken from the courtroom to jail Thursday after she told the judge she could not pay a $5,000 fine. The judge sentenced her to six months in prison. Rice previously served six months for an earlier SOA protest.
NOTE: Megan was taken into custody when she informed the court she would no longer cooperate and would neither pay the fine nor "self surrender" when notified to do so.

Seven of the protesters each received three months in prison and a $2,500 fine:

Richard Brooks Anderson, 66, of Duluth, Minn., a retried Lutheran pastor;

Judy Ann Bierbaum, 43, of Albuquerque, N.M., a children's sexual-abuse therapist;

Thomas Edward Bottolene, 50, of St. Paul, Minn., a graphic artist and full-time activist;

Charles O. Butler, 73, of Rochester, N.Y., a retired United Methodist pastor;

Gerhard H. Fischer, 71, of Brookfield, Wis., a retired pharmacist;

John W. Honeck, 39, of Hamlin, N.Y., a residence counselor for mentally retarded adults; and

Margaret L. Knapke, 47, of Dayton, Ohio, a natural therapeutics practitioner.

An environmental chemist received the lightest sentence after promising the judge she would never return to Fort Benning. Kathleen D. Fisher of Portland, Ore., received 12 months probation and a $1,000 fine.
NOTE: Since the November 1999 action, new family obligations have arisen. Kathleen said breaking solidarity with the group was one of the hardest decisions she has ever made. She came to her decision with the group's blessing. She did not promise to "never" return.

With the exception of Rice, the protesters will report within 30 to 60 days to serve their prison sentences.

Just before 9 a.m. Thursday, 23 protesters rounded the corner of the Columbus Federal Courthouse carrying white crosses and a sign asking for the closure of the controversial school. Under the media's eye, the group huddled together and sang, "Peace is Flowing Like a River."

Most went inside, but Denise Laffan of Atlanta, a Buddhist nun, stayed outside to sing and beat her prayer drum. She had a sign attached to her yellow robe asking to "Stop the killing. Close the SOA now."

After the sentencing Thursday afternoon, the convicted left the courtroom in good spirits.

"I couldn't be more delighted," Liteky said about his conviction.

Attorney David Grindle, who represented nine of the protesters, said his clients represent "the only group of folks who want to go to jail."

Bierbaum said she was horrified at first about going to jail, but added that after a deep soul search she realized that incarceration for her beliefs was something she had to do.

"The irony is that going to jail is a privilege," she said.

Col. Glenn Weidner, commandant of the school, defended the school by saying, "It seems to be the tactic of our critics to incite people to break the law, civil disobedience, before they ever even attempt to really find out what happens at the School of the Americas."
© Copyright 2000 Ledger-Enquirer. All rights reserved.

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Ten sentenced in School of Americas protests
Published 06.09.00 - Minneapolis StarTribune

COLUMBUS, Ga. (AP) -- A federal judge sentenced seven protesters to three months in prison and $2,500 fines Thursday for trespassing while demonstrating against the Army' s School of the Americas last year at Fort Benning.

Three others received sentences ranging from probation and a $1, 000 fine to a year in prison and a $10, 000 fine from U.S. District Judge Hugh Lawson.

The 10 defendants, ranging in age from 39 to 73, were found guilty March 10. They were among about 4, 000 people who gathered at the west Georgia post in November to stage a mock funeral procession to call for the controversial school' s closure.

One of the defendants, Charles Liteky, previously served six months for his protest activities. Lawson sentenced him to six months in prison and a $5,000 fine for each of two counts.

All are members of School of the Americas Watch, founded in 1990 by a Roman Catholic priest outraged by the murder of six Jesuit priests in
El Salvador that some believe was carried out by graduates of the School of the Americas.

SOA Watch has held annual protests at the gates of Fort Benning each year since, growing from a handful of supporters to thousands last year. Forty-five of the group' s members have served prison terms.

Last month, Congress voted against a measure to close the school, instead favoring a proposal to reform its mission.

Those sentenced Thursday:

Richard Brooks Anderson, 66, of Duluth, Minn., three months, $2,500

Judy Bierbaum, 43, Albuquerque, N.M., three months, $2,500

Tom Bottolene, 50, St. Paul, Minn., three months, $2,500

Charles Butler, 73, Rochester, Min.., three months, $2,500

Kathleen Fisher, Portland, Ore., 12 months' probation, $1,000

Gerhard Fischer, 71, Brookfield, Wis., three months, $2,500

John Honeck, 39, Hamlin, N.Y., three months, $2,500

Margaret Knapke, 47, Dayton, Ohio, three months, $2,500

Charles Liteky, 69, San Francisco, 12 months, $10,000 (two counts)

Sister Megan Rice, 70, Baltimore, six months, $5,000
© Copyright 2000 Star Tribune. All rights reserved.

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3 Minnesotans among those sentenced for Army protest
Published 06/09/2000 St. Paul Pioneer Press

COLUMBUS, Ga. (AP) A federal judge sentenced seven protesters -- including three Minnesotans -- to three months in prison and $2,500 fines Thursday for trespassing while demonstrating against the Army's School of the Americas last year at Fort Benning.

Three others received sentences ranging from probation and a $1,000 fine to a year in prison and a $10,000 fine from U.S. District Judge Hugh Lawson.

The 10 defendants were found guilty March 10. They were among about 4,000 people who gathered at the west Georgia post in November to stage a mock funeral procession to call for the school's closure.

All are members of School of the Americas Watch, founded in 1990 by a Roman Catholic priest outraged by the murder of six Jesuit priests in
El Salvador that some believe was carried out by graduates of the School of the Americas. SOA Watch has held annual protests at the gates of Fort Benning each year since, growing from a handful of supporters to thousands last year. Forty-five of the group's members have served prison terms.

Last month, Congress voted against a measure to close the school, instead favoring a proposal to reform its mission.

The Minnesotans sentenced Thursday were: Richard Brooks Anderson, 66, of Duluth; Thomas Bottolene, 50, of St. Paul; and Charles Butler, 73, of Rochester.
© Copyright 2000 Associated Press. All rights reserved.

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Duluth man sentenced for protests
published 06.09.00 - Duluth News Tribune

Associated Press

COLUMBUS, Ga. -- A federal judge sentenced seven protesters, including Richard Brooks Anderson of Duluth, to three months in prison and $2,500 fines Thursday for trespassing while demonstrating against the Army's School of the Americas last year at Fort Benning.

Three others received sentences ranging from probation and a $1,000 fine to a year in prison and a $10,000 fine.

The 10 defendants were found guilty March 10. They were among about 4,000 people who gathered at the west Georgia post in November to stage a mock funeral procession to call for the school's closure.
© Copyright 2000 Associated Press. All rights reserved.

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Rochester man sentenced in connection with protests
published 06.09.00 - Rochester Minnesota Post Bulletin

COLUMBUS, Ga. -- A federal judge sentenced seven protesters -- including a Rochester man -- to three months in prison and $2,500 fines Thursday for trespassing while demonstrating against the Army's School of the Americas last year at Fort Benning.

Three others received sentences ranging from probation and a $1,000 fine to a year in prison and a $10,000 fine from U.S. District Judge Hugh Lawson.

The 10 defendants, including three from Minnesota, were found guilty March 10. They were among about 4,000 people who gathered at the west Georgia post in November to stage a mock funeral procession to call for the school's closure.

Charles Butler, 73, of Rochester, received a three-month sentence and a $2,500 fine.

Another of the defendants, Charles Liteky, previously served six months for his protest activities. Lawson sentenced him to six months in prison and a $5,000 fine for each of two counts.

SOA Watch has held annual protests at the gates of Fort Benning each year since, growing from a handful of supporters to thousands last year. Forty-five of the group's members have served prison terms.
© Copyright 2000 Post Bulletin. All rights reserved.

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SOAWatch Press Release
Released 06.08.00 - 4 PM EDT

COLUMBUS, GA—Ten protesters received sentences of up to 12 months in prison today for their part in a November 1999 funeral procession onto Fort Benning property calling for the closure of the School of the Americas (SOA). Judge Hugh Lawson imposed the sentences today in the US District Court in Columbus, GA.

Congressional medal of winner Charles Liteky received the maximum sentence of 6 months in prison and a $5000 fine on each of two counts of trespassing for a total of 12 months in prison and a $10,000 fine. Liteky stated, "I dedicate my time in prison to the victims of the SOA, living and dead. When I enter prison it will be as a prisoner of war,the war against the poor."

Sr. Megan Rice, who served a 6 month sentence for her part in a 1997 SOA protest, was sentenced to 6 months in prison and a $5,000 fine. She was taken immediately into custody. Seven others were sentenced to three months in prison and a $2,500 fine after stating that they would return to Fort Benning again and again until the SOA is closed. One defendant, who did agree that she would not return to the post was sentenced to 12 months of probation and $1,000 fine.

The School of the Americas, training ground for more than 60,000 Latin American military troops, has been under intense pressure to close its doors. Documented human rights abuses by its graduates have included the assassination of Archbishop Oscar Romero and the massacre of 900 civilians in the village of El Mozote. In response to criticism, the Pentagon has circulated a reform proposal that would re-name the school The Defense Institute for Hemispheric Security Cooperation but offer no substantive changes. By a narrow margin, the House voted to accept this proposal last month.

SOA critics call the changes cosmetic and contend that it is business as usual for the SOA. School of the Americas Watch staff have vowed to work harder than ever to close this School of Assassins.

The protesters were not deterred by the sentences and will return home to continue their anti-SOA organizing until ordered to report to federal prison. "These harsh sentences will only energize this movement and call forth in ever greater numbers," said Fr. Roy Bourgeois, co-director of SOA Watch.

List of Defendants follows. To schedule interviews contact SOA Watch at (706) 682-5369

1. Brooks Anderson, 66, Retired Lutheran Pastor, participated in Selma to Montgomery civil rights march, married, 4 children, 9 grandchildren, Duluth, MN. 3 months in prison, $2500 fine.

2. Judy Bierbaum, 43, Children’s Sexual Abuse therapist, Catholic, Children’s Champion Award in 1997, Governor’s outstanding Woman of New Mexico Award in 1998, Albuquerque, NM. 3 months in prison, $2500 fine.

3. Thomas Bottolene, 50, Full-time, multi-issue Nonviolent Activist for Peace and Justice, father of 4, grandfather, graphic artist, organizer, St. Paul, MN. 3 months in prison, $2500 fine.

4. Charles Butler, 73, Retired United Methodist Pastor, Missionary in Panama for 25 years, Army Veteran stationed at Ft. Benning, married, 3 children, Rochester, MN. 3 months in prison, $2500 fine.

5. Kathleen Fisher, Environmental Chemist, Quaker, worked 4 years in Zimbabwe and Swaziland for Mennonite Central Committee, on staff of U.S. Grail, a nonprofit women’s social justice and environmental organization, Portland, OR. 1 year probation, $1000 fine.

6. Gerhard Fischer, 71, Retired Pharmacist / Business Person, U.S. Navy veteran of Korea conflict, Lutheran, married, 5 daughters, 9 grandchildren, Brookfield, WI. 3 months in prison, $2500 fine.

7. John Honeck, 39, Residence Counselor for mentally retarded adults, Tutor, married, 3 children – 6, 8 and 12 years old, Hamlin, NY. 3 months in prison, $2500 fine.

8. Margaret Knapke, 47, Natural Therapeutics Practitioner, worked with war-traumatized people from El Salvador, Master of Philosophy, Dayton, OH. 3 months in prison, $2500 fine.

9. Charles Liteky, 69, Awarded Congressional Medal of Honor for heroism in Vietnam, served 6 months in federal prison for previous SOA protest, married, San Francisco, CA. 12 months in prison, $10,000 fine.

10. Sr. Megan Rice, SHCJ, 70 Catholic Sister of the Holy Child Jesus, worked as a missionary in Nigeria and Ghana for 34 years, served 6 months for previous SOA protest, Baltimore, MD. 6 months in prison, $5000 fine.