Ground Zero Press Clippings
|
source:
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/252008_coastguard14.html
Peace activist challenges Coast Guard fineWednesday, December 14, 2005 By Jake Ellison
With family and friends filling one side of the federal hearing room, Seattle peace activist Glen Milner argued Tuesday that he didn't take his boat within 500 yards of a U.S. Navy vessel during protests in the 2004 Seafair and doesn't deserve a large fine. Instead, he said, Coast Guard officials had set out to harass him and violate his right to free speech during the annual Seafair parade of military ships. Milner said he had warned Coast Guard officials that he would be protesting the Navy's presence and that he had no intention of breaking the law by getting too close to the warships. Guard officials have charged the longtime Seattle activist with violating the naval protection zone around the USS Bonhomme Richard on Aug. 5, 2004. Milner has been fined more than $10,000 in the case. Tuesday, Milner got his chance to clear himself of the charges in a hearing before Coast Guard Hearing Officer Lane McClelland. Acting as his own attorney, Milner cross-examined Coast Guard staff members and officers and argued that the Coast Guard had destroyed records he could have used to defend himself. Coast Guard officers didn't make counterarguments but sat back and listened while McClelland questioned witnesses and allowed Milner to also ask some questions, though she restricted the range of his inquiries. McClelland, who is stationed in Arlington, Va., said she will not rule in the case until she has had time to research Coast Guard policies and go through testimony. Among other options, she can uphold the fine, increase it or eliminate it entirely. She said she is concerned that Coast Guard officials didn't seem to have a clear policy on whom to charge with violating the rule and whom not to. "There are a lot of unusual circumstances," McClelland said of the case against Milner. "It appears there was a population of vessels out there violating the law, and this guy, you might say, was unlucky." P-I reporter Jake Ellison can be reached at 206-448-8346 or jakeellison@seattlepi.com. © 1998-2005 Seattle Post-Intelligencer |
|
FAIR USE NOTICE This site contains copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available in our efforts to advance understanding of environmental, political, human rights, economic, democracy, scientific, and social justice issues, etc. We believe this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. For more information go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml . If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use', you must obtain permission from the copyright owner. |