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ESSENTIAL DESTINATIONS

MONTH: October 2006

SHAC leaders sentenced
in Britain & New Jersey

 

LONDON, TRENTON--Five alleged instigators of property damage and threats directed at facilities, business partners, and employees of Huntingdon Life Sciences in mid-September 2006 drew prison terms ranging from three to six years.

 

Northampton Crown Court Judge Ian Alexander on September 20 sentenced molecular biologist Joseph Harris, 26, to three years as the first person convicted under a new British law against economic sabotage.

 

"Harris, of Bursledon, Hampshire, broke into premises in Nottingham, Bicester and Northampton," summarized Nicola Woolcock of the London Times, "where he slashed tires, flooded offices, and poured glue into locks. He caused more than £25,000 in damage." Harris apparently began the attacks in a futile bid to keep a girlfriend who left him, the court was told, because of animal experiments he did in connection with pancreatic cancer research.

 

In Trenton, New Jersey, former Stop Huntingdon Animal Cruelty USA president Kevin Kjonaas, 28, drew six years; former SHAC campaign coordinator Lauren Gazzola, 25, drew 52 months; former SHAC web site manager Jacob Conroy, 30, drew 48 months; former SHAC west coast coordinator Joshua Harper and former SHAC New York coordinator Andrew Stepanian each drew 36 months; and former SHAC researcher Darius Fullmer received a year and a day. All were also ordered to help pay $1 million in restitution to the people and companies they were convicted in March 2006 of harassing.

 

Kjonaas and SHAC spokesperson Andrea Lindsay told reporters that the sentences would be appealed. Lindsay added that the restitution would not be paid because SHAC as an organization is defunct and has no assets.

 

Operating animal testing labs in both Britain and the U.S., Huntingdon has been a sporadic focus of antivivisection protest since 1972, and virtually besieged since the July 1997 television airing of an undercover video made at the British facilities, which led to the firing and convictions for cruelty of two technicians who were shown allegedly punching a beagle.