[Ppnews] 3 animal-rights activists sent to prison

[Political Prisoner News]

3 animal-rights activists sent to prison
By BETH DeFALCO
The Associated Press
<http://www.oregonlive.com/newsflash/national/index.ssf?/base/national-71/115808935684510.xml&storylist=ornational>http://www.oregonlive.com/newsflash/national/index.ssf?/base/national-71/115808935684510.xml&storylist=ornational

TRENTON, N.J. (AP) — Three animal-rights 
activists convicted of using their Web site to 
incite threats and harassment against a company 
that tests products on animals received prison 
sentences ranging from four to six years Tuesday.

They were also ordered to pay a total of $1 
million in restitution to the company and people they terrorized.

Three other members of Stop Huntingdon Animal 
Cruelty are awaiting sentencing within the next two weeks.

Along with the organization itself, the six 
activists were convicted in March of using a Web 
site to incite threats, harassment and vandalism 
against Huntingdon Life Sciences, a company that 
tests drugs and household products on animals.

The government charged that the group waged a 
five-year campaign against the company, posting 
the names, addresses and phone numbers of 
Huntington employees and those who do business 
with the company, and personal information such 
as where they go to church and where their children attend school.

Many of those people saw their homes vandalized 
and received threatening e-mails, faxes and phone calls.

The group, based in Philadelphia, maintains its 
actions were protected under the First Amendment.

The defendants, all in their late 20s or early 
30s, were not accused of directly making threats or carrying out vandalism.

The three sentenced were the president of SHAC, 
Kevin Kjonaas of Minnesota; campaign coordinator 
Lauren Gazzola of Connecticut; and Web site 
manager Jacob Conroy of California. Kjonaas was 
sentenced to six years in prison, Gazzola to four 
years and four months, and Conroy to four years.

The Freedom Archives
522 Valencia Street
San Francisco, CA 94110
(415) 863-9977
www.freedomarchives.org 
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