Three peace activists sentenced for demonstrations at the Trident nuclear submarine base at Bangor, Washington

 

Contact:  Brian Watson (360) 479-6399
          Glen Milner (206) 365-7865
          Michael Stowell, attorney (360)731-6889

 

On Thursday morning, February 22, in Kitsap County District Court in Port Orchard, 60 friends and family members of the three peace activists filled the courtroom.  Judge Riehl explained his belief that International Law is relevant in this case and in other legal cases in Kitsap County courts.  Judge Riehl noted, however, that in this case the jury felt that International Law did not necessarily direct citizens to violate a local law.

Judge James Riehl sentenced each of the three peace activists to a total fine of $2,000, with $1,500 suspended, for a total amount of $500 to be paid by each peace activist.  The three demonstrators were also each given a 180 day sentence, 178 days were suspended, and two years unsupervised probation.  The demonstrators had already served two days in jail in August 2006.

Deputy Prosecutor Kevin Hull also requested that the three demonstrators pay restitution to the Kitsap County Sheriff’s Office.  Kitsap County Sheriff’s Office had submitted a bill for $722.88, to be paid between the three demonstrators. 

 

The Sheriff’s bill was presumed to cover costs to arrest only the three demonstrators, and not others arrested with them on the same dates.  Judge Riehl stated an additional court date would be required to determine: 1. whether the court had the authority to charge demonstrators for their own arrest; 2. if the court has authority, should it impose costs to the demonstrators; and 3. what the appropriate amount should be.

 

The three peace activists are: Shirley Morrison of Seattle, CarolAnn Barrows of Bainbridge Island, and Brian Watson of Bremerton.

 

The three peace activists were each charged with two counts of Disorderly Conduct, facing up to 180 days in jail and $2,000 in fines, for blocking the main highway entrance to the nuclear submarine base in consecutive direct actions on May 15, 2006 (in honor of Mother’s Day) and on August 7, 2006 (in remembrance of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.)

 

On January 27, after a four-day trial, a six-member jury in Kitsap County District Court returned a guilty verdict on both counts of Disorderly Conduct after about three hours of deliberation.

 

At sentencing, CarolAnn Barrows thanked the court for the opportunity to present her case.  Shirley Morrison read a quote by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. to Judge Riehl which stated, “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.”  Brian Watson asked the court “to consider the cause of justice and the right of everyone to have a life and to have peace.”  Brian Watson stated, “I have acted on my conscience and will continue to do so.” 

 

The next planned nonviolent direct action at Bangor will be in honor of Mother’s Day in May 2007.

 

 

Fact Sheet

 

Kitsap County Judge sentences three peace activists

 

The trial began on Monday, January 22, at the Kitsap County District Court, for the three demonstrators from the Ground Zero Center for Nonviolent Action: Shirley Morrison of Seattle, CarolAnn Barrows of Bainbridge Island, and Brian Watson of Bremerton.  Monday, January 22, was a pre-trial motions hearing.

 

On January 23, Judge James Riehl ruled to allow expert witnesses.  A six-member jury was selected and Kitsap County Sheriff’s Deputy Scott Wilson began his testimony in court.

 

On January 24, John Burroughs, International Law expert, presented arguments to the jury concerning the illegal deployment of nuclear weapons at the Trident submarine base at Bangor and of citizens’ individual legal responsibility to take nonviolent action to change US nuclear weapons policy.  Dr. David Hall, of Seattle, presented information regarding the effects of nuclear weapons and nuclear war, as well as the facts about the nuclear weapons deployed on Trident submarines at Bangor. 

 

On January 25 and January 26, the three defendants presented their statements to the court.

 

On Friday at 4 PM, a six-member jury returned a guilty verdict on both counts of Disorderly Conduct after about three hours of deliberation.

 

The Trident submarine base at Bangor is located 20 miles west of Seattle.  It is the last active nuclear weapons depot on the West Coast and is the place of deployment for approximately 1,360 nuclear warheads.  Another 1,000 warheads are stored on the base in inactive reserve.  With about 2,364 nuclear warheads, the Trident base at Bangor has the largest stockpile of nuclear warheads in the United States.

 

The base has been recently rebuilt for the deployment of the larger and more accurate Trident D-5 missile system.  Each of the 24 D-5 missiles on a Trident submarine is capable of carrying eight of the larger 455 kiloton W-88 warheads (each warhead is about 30 times the explosive force as the Hiroshima bomb.)  The D-5 missile can also be armed with the 100 kiloton W-76 warhead.  The Trident fleet at Bangor deploys both the 455 kiloton W-88 warhead and the 100 kiloton W-76 warhead.

 

The Ground Zero Center for Nonviolent Action was founded in 1977.  The center is on 3.8 acres adjoining the Trident submarine base at Bangor, Washington.  The Ground Zero Center for Nonviolent Action offers the opportunity to explore the roots of violence and injustice in our world and to experience the transforming power of love through nonviolent direct action.  We resist all nuclear weapons, especially the Trident submarine system.