School of the Americas Watch
February 12, 2003
for immediate release
Final Group of Human Rights Advocates Sentenced to Federal Prison for Civil Disobedience to Close School of the Americas
Nuns, Priests, Veterans, Professors and Students Testified Against Double Standard in War on Terrorism, Put SOA and U.S.
Foreign Policy on Trial
Interviews With Defendants Available (See Below for full list) Columbus, GA Thirty-five human rights advocates from
across the country were tried this week in federal court for civil disobedience to close what they call a terrorist
training camp on U.S. soil: the School of the Americas, renamed Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation
(SOA/WHISC). Graduates of the controversial combat training school for Latin American soldiers continue to be implicated
in human rights atrocities throughout Latin America.
The defendants were among 10,000 who gathered in November to call for the closure of the SOA/WHISC. They were part of a
group of 96 who peacefully crossed onto Ft. Benning, site of the school. The 35 are the last of a total of 83 from this
group to be adjudicated (Forty-two defendants were tried and convicted January 27-29). So far all of the defendants have
either pled or were found guilty of trespass. The trial of the last two defendants is expected to conclude this
afternoon. Sentences have ranged from twelve months probation to six months in federal prison with fines.
The defendants included nine Catholic nuns, a priest, a reverend, seven veterans, union organizers, professors and
students.
³The SOA is out of alignment with the values of the American people,² said Judy Bierbaum, a defendant from Albuquerque,
New Mexico. ³Patriotism is not about slapping a flag in the window if that¹s where it ends it¹s about calling our
country to task.²
The defendants testified in court against a double standard in the ³war on terrorism², offering evidence to put the
SOA/WHISC and U.S. foreign policy on trial. Defense Attorney William Quigley proffered an affidavit from U.S. Rep. James
McGovern that calls for the closure of the SOA/WHISC, and a copy of a 2002 report from Amnesty International that calls
for a suspension of training at the SOA/WHISC, and an independent commission of inquiry to investigate the school.
Amnesty refutes that WHISC is a new institution, stating that WHISC "is essentially the same school as SOA, with the
same primary missionŠ²
The trial judge, G. Mallon Faircloth, is known for giving the maximum of six months to opponents of the SOA/WHISC.
Previous to these past weeks¹ verdicts, nearly one hundred people have served a total of over fifty years in prison for
nonviolent resistance in a broad-based campaign to close the school.
The SOA/WHISC is a combat training school for Latin American soldiers. Its graduates are consistently involved in human
rights atrocities and coups, including the El Mozote Massacre of over 900 civilians and last year's failed coup in
Venezuela.. In 1996 the Pentagon was forced to release training manuals used at the school that advocated the use of
torture, extortion and execution.
Adjudicated SOA Defendants (listed in order of state) To Arrange Interviews, Call: 706-221-1672
Key: Name / Court Date / Age / City / State / Sentence (* Second-time line-crosser)
Carey Martin (2/10), 24, Birmingham, AL 3 months in federal prison (self-report), $1,000 fine
J.C. Orton (2/11), 54, Berkeley, CA 3 months in federal prison (self-report), $1,000 fine
Seth Cohen (1/27), 22, Fair Oaks, CA 1 year probation, 250 hours community service, $500 fine
Rachel Montgomery (2/11), Oakland, CA 6 months federal prison (self-report), $500 fine
Dan Fortson (1/28), 43, Redway, CA 3 months in federal prison (self-report), $500 fine
Linda Aguilar (1/27), 19, San Francisco, CA 1 year probation, 250 hours community service, $500 fine
Sondra Angulo (1/27), 22, San Francisco, CA 1 year probation, 250 hours community service, $500 fine
Guadalupe Chavez (1/27), 20, San Francisco, CA 1 year probation, 250 hours community service, $500 fine
Donald Haselfeld* (1/28), 76, San Francisco, CA 6 months in federal prison (self-report)
Margaret Rossi (1/27), 21, San Francisco, CA 1 year probation, 250 hours community service, $500 fine
Laura Slattery (2/10), 36, San Francisco, CA 6 months in federal prison (self-report), $500 fine
Derrlyn Tom* (1/27), 44, San Francisco, CA 6 months in federal prison (self-report)
Michael Wisniewski (2/10), 53, West Covina, CA 3 months in federal prison (self-report), $1,000 fine
Daniel Manriquez (2/10), 18, Denver, CO 1 year probation, 250 hours community service, $1,000 fine
Sarah Martin (2/10), 19, Denver, CO 1 year probation, 250 hours community service, $1,000 fine
Byron Plumley, Jr. (2/11), 55, Denver, CO 3 months in federal prison (self report), $1,000 fine
Tiffany Winters (2/10), 18, Denver, CO 1 year probation, 250 hours community service, $1,000 fine
Kelly Simmons, 19, Englewood, CO 1 year probation, $1,000 fine
Eric Tews (2/10) 20, Greenwood Village, CO 1 year probation, 250 hours community service, $1,000 fine
William Combs (1/27), 58, Tallahassee, FL 3 months in federal prison (self-report)
Christine Gaunt (1/29), 46, Grinnell, IA 3 months in federal prison (reported immediately), $750 fine
Evalee (Lee) Mickey (2/10), 65, Mt Pleasant, IA 3 months in federal prison (self-report)
Timothy Grivois (1/27), 21, Chicago, IL 1 year probation, 250 hours community service, $500 fine
Sr. Kathy Long* (1/28), 55, Chicago, IL 3 months in federal prison (self-report)
Sr. Dorothy Pagosa* (1/28), 48, Chicago, IL 3 months in federal prison (self-report)
Sr. Joann Quinkert* (1/28), 71, Oak Lawn, IL 1 year probation, 500 hours community service
Douglas Kasper (2/11), 58, Wheaton, IL 3 months in federal prison (reported immediately), $500 fine
Sr. Adele Beacham (1/28), 76, Bloomington, IN 1 year in home confinement, 250 hours community service
Jeremiah John (1/21), 21, Bloomington, IN awaits sentencing
Charity Ryerson (1/21), 21 Bloomington, IN awaits sentencing
Sr. Rita Gerardot* (1/28), 76, St.-Mary-of-the-Woods, IN 1 year probation, 500 hours community service
Sonja Andreas (2/11), 53, Wichita, KS 3 months in federal prison (self report), $1,000 fine
Edith Balot (1/27), 69, Jefferson, LA 3 months in federal prison (self-report)
Jason Lydon (2/11), 20, Hadley, MA 6 months in federal prison (reported immediately), $500 fine
Laurel Albina (2/10), 27, Jamaica Plains, MA 1 year probation, 250 hours community service, $1,000 fine
Michelle LaValley (2/11), 21, Jamaica Plains, MA 3 months in federal prison (self report), $1,000 fine
Christine LaVallee* (1/28), 27, Worcester, MA 1 year probation, $500 fines
Scott Schaeffer-Duffy (1/27), 44, Worcester, MA 3 months in federal prison (reported immediately)
John (Jack) Nies (2/11), 61, Apple Valley, MN 1 year probation, 250 hours community service, $1,000 fine
Loring Harkness IV (1/27), 21, Northfield, MN 1 year probation, 250 hours community service, $500 fine
Daniel Marx (1/27), 19, Northfield, MN 1 year probation, 250 hours community service, $500 fine
Anika Walz (2/10), 19, Stacy, MN 1 year probation, 250 hours community service, $1,000 fine
Michael Ugarte (2/10), 53, Columbia, MO 1 year probation, 250 hours community service, $1,000 fine
Corbin Streett (2/10), 23, Dublin, MS 3 months in federal prison (self-report), $1,000 fine
Vera Brown* (2/10), 20, Greensboro, NC 6 months in federal prison (self-report), $500 fine
Robert Hiltonsmith (2/10) 21, Greensboro, NC 3 months in federal prison (self-report), $1,000 fine
Peter Jessup (2/6), Omaha, NE 1 year probation, 200 hours community service, $500 fine
Vincent Jackson (12/17/02), 18, Marlton, NJ 1 year probation, $2,500 fine
Judy Bierbaum* (1/28), 46, Albuquerque, NM 6 months in federal prison (self-report), $2,000 fine
Patrick Stanley (2/10), 20, Bronx, NY 3 months federal prison (self-report), $1,000 fine
Doris Reed (2/11), 78, Endwell, NY 1 year probation
Eloy Garcia (1/27), 34, Maryknoll, NY 3 months in federal prison (reported immediately), $500 fine
Marie Salupo (1/27), 24, Maryknoll, NY 3 months in federal prison (self-report), $500 fine
Rev. Clifford Frasier (1/28), 35, New York, NY 6 months in federal prison (self-report), $500 fine
Marvin Warren (1/27), 21, Poughkeepsie, NY 3 months in federal prison (self-report)
Caitlin Harwood (2/10), 19, Cleveland Hts., OH 3 months in federal prison (self-report), $1,000 fine
Jesse Carr (1/27), 20, Oberlin, OH 3 months in federal prison (self-report), $500 fine
Eric Zibbel (1/27), 19, Oberlin, OH 1 year probation, 250 hours community service, $500 fine
Dave Tarbell (12/6/02), 21, Wooster, OH 3 months in federal prison (self-report), $500 fine
Ann Huntwork* (1/28), 71, Portland, OR 6 months in federal prison (self-report)
Lisa Hughes* (1/29), 37, Valyermo, CA 6 months in federal prison (self-report), $1,500 fine
Philip D'Onofrio (1/27), 35, Salem, OR 3 months in federal prison (self-report)
Tom Blancato (2/10), 40, Pittsburgh, PA 1 year probation, 250 hours community service, $1,000 fine
Sr. Mary Hamilton (1/27), 52, Rosemont, PA 3 months in federal prison (self-report)
Katherine Brown (1/27), 52, Providence, RI 3 months in federal prison (self-report), $500 fine
Judd Schiffman (2/10), 20, Providence, RI 1 year probation, 250 hours community service, $1,000 fine
Marilyn White* (1/28), 55, League City, TX 6 months in federal prison (self-report), $500 fines
Sr. Moira Kenny* (1/28), 56, McAllen, TX 6 months in federal prison (self-report)
Fr. James Hynes* (1/28), 57 San Antonio, TX 6 months in federal prison (self-report)
Pamela McBride* (1/28), 45 Sorita, TX 6 months in federal prison (self-report), $500 fines
Judith Kelly (2/10), 57, Arlington, VA 3 months in federal prison (self-report), $1,000 fine
Jane Lehr (2/10), 27, Blacksburg, VA 1 year probation, 250 hours community service, $1,000 fine
Patrick Lincoln (2/12), 21, Blacksburg, VA trial still in progress
Jonson Miller (2/10), 27, Blacksburg, VA 2 months federal prison (self-report), $500 fine
Dave Depp (1/27), 66, Doswell, VA 1 year probation, 250 hours community service, $500 fine
Thomas Cleary* (1/27), 74, Richmond, VA 6 months in home confinement
Julia Shideler (2/10) 24, Olga, WA 1 year probation suspended
Vennessa Pustek (2/10), 71, Premerton, WA 6 months home confinement, 200 hours community service
Sr. Maureen Newman (2/10), 57, Seattle, WA 3 months in federal prison (self-report)
Katherine Bjorkman (1/27), 19, Burlington, WI 3 months in federal prison (self-report)
Sr. Caryl Hartjes, CSA* (1/28), 67, Fond du Lac, WI 3 months in federal prison (self-report)
William Slattery (2/12), 18, Maribel, WI trial still in progress
Joyce Ellwanger* (1/28), 65, Milwaukee, WI 6 months in federal prison (self-report)
# # #
Contact: Matthew Smucker
706.221.1672 media@soaw.org