Date: Sun, 17 Oct 1999 14:30:16 -0400 From: Chuck0 <chuck-AT-tao.ca> Subject: Anarchists cry foul over rioter's sentence Anarchists cry foul over rioter's sentence Judge hands out stiff prison term in assault that injured officer Friday, October 15, 1999 THE ASSOCIATED PRESS PORTLAND -- Anarchists denounced the seven-year sentence imposed on a rioter who threw a rock at a policeman, calling the decision political grandstanding at the expense of justice. "What they're trying to do is intimidate people," John Zerzan, a Eugene anarchist writer, said yesterday. "But I don't think it's going to stop us from trying to get across our point of view." Lane County Judge Mary Ann Bearden said her sentence Wednesday was intended to send a message against violence, even in the name of a social cause. Robert Lee Thaxton, 39, was convicted of second-degree assault and rioting for hurling a four-pound rock at Sgt. Larry Blackwell during a June 18 anarchists' march that erupted into violence. The assault charge, a Measure 11 crime, carries a mandatory minimum of five years and 10 months in prison. For the rioting charge, Thaxton would ordinarily have gotten only probation, but the judge departed from the guidelines to give him 18 months and make the terms run consecutively. "We were hoping that the judge would have some compassion and realize that the actions that Robert took on that day weren't severe enough to get 88 months in prison," said Tim Lewis, a volunteer with Eugene Copwatch, a watchdog group that videotapes police brutality. "But she didn't see it that way." The riot began as a peaceful march to culminate a two-day anarchists' conference to protest corporate greed, environmental pollution and corruption at University of Oregon. But the situation quickly turned ugly. In his trial, Thaxton said he was afraid Blackwell was going to hit him. He admitted to carrying a rock in self-defense. He said he tried to throw it over Blackwell's head as a diversion so he could escape. The softball-sized rock hit Blackwell in the chest. He was badly bruised, but did not suffer any permanent injuries. "The thing that bothered me the most was when he testified he had a smile on his face," Blackwell said. "He said he was at the riot for four hours. He described it as festive, and he was afraid to leave." Still, anarchists said the punishment does not fit the crime. Thaxton's former attorney, Charles Porter, said an appeal would be filed. Thaxton's court-appointed attorney, Lisa Gallo, could not be reached for comment. A group of anarchists and other citizens will gather and voice their discontent with the Thaxton case at a National Police Brutality rally Friday, Oct. 22 at the University of Oregon. -- Chuck0 http://flag.blackened.net/chuck0/home/ Dr. Laura is scared of this sig file +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ Mid-Atlantic Infoshop http://www.infoshop.org/ Spunk Library http://www.spunk.org/ "All the anarchy you'll ever need, organized neatly and with reassuring authority." -- 1998 Rough Guide to the Internet FREE MUMIA ABU-JAMAL AND LEONARD PELTIER! +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+
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