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</font><h1><font size=2><b><a href="http://www.dailyemerald.com">
www.dailyemerald.com<br><br>
<br>
</a></font>Eugenean to stay in jail until jury ends<br><br>
<br>
</b></h1><h3><b>Jeff Hogg will not be released until March, or until he
agrees to testify in the eco-sabotage case<br><br>
<br>
</b></h3><h4><b>By:
<a href="http://www.dailyemerald.com/user/index.cfm?event=displayAuthorProfile&authorid=2322526">
<font color="#003300">Eric Florip</a></font> | News
Reporter</b></h4><font size=3><b>Issue date:</b> 10/11/06 <b>Section:</b>
</font><a href="http://www.dailyemerald.com/news/2006/10/11/News/">
<font size=3 color="#003300">News</a><br>
</font><font size=3> <br>
The Eugene resident who has been jailed since May 18 for refusing to
testify before a grand jury investigating the Operation Backfire
eco-sabotage case could remain in custody until March 2007 after the
jury's term was extended by six months.<br><br>
Jeffrey Hogg, a 32-year-old nursing student, was brought in by the jury
last spring to answer questions relating to the federal investigation of
13 defendants accused of numerous arsons in the Northwest for
environmentally motivated causes. <br><br>
When he refused to testify, Hogg was held in contempt of court and
imprisoned. Hogg is not facing charges himself.<br><br>
The jury, originally set to expire on Sept. 30, will now continue to the
end of March, meaning Hogg will not be released until then, unless he
testifies.<br><br>
Stephen Peifer, a prosecuting attorney in the case, said Hogg can be held
for a maximum of 18 months or until the grand jury expires, whichever
comes first. Since Hogg has only been in custody since May, according to
the current schedule the jury will expire before 18 months pass.<br><br>
Peifer said the fastest and easiest way for Hogg to be released is to
simply come forward and testify.<br><br>
"He is in jail without being accused of anything," said Lauren
Regan, executive director and staff attorney of the Civil Liberties
Defense Center in Eugene.<br><br>
Regan said the grand jury was used improperly to subpoena Hogg because it
was used to prepare a case for the trial, which likely won't begin until
next year.<br><br>
"What they chose to do was illegal use of a grand Jury," she
said.<br><br>
Peifer said it is the court's order for a person to comply with a grand
jury and testify in any situation.<br><br>
Hogg was given a Grumbles hearing, which was intended to determine if
Hogg's imprisonment would actually coerce him into testifying, on Aug.
15, according to the CLDC Web site, but his release was denied by Judge
Michael Hogan.<br><br>
A hearing will be held Oct. 31 to set a date for the trial in Eugene
before Judge Ann Aiken, Peifer said.<br><br>
Of the 13 charged defendants in the case, four will be on trial before
Aiken in Eugene, six have already entered guilty pleas and three are
fugitives, Peifer said.<br><br>
Regan said Hogg was likely brought in to testify because of his active
role in local environmental causes, and because he may have known some of
the defendants personally.<br><br>
"Apparently they think he has some information that they want,"
Regan said.<br><br>
Since he refused to testify in May because of his disagreement with the
secret nature of the grand jury, Regan said, Hogg has also been forced to
give up his schooling and to quit his job.<br><br>
"He has certainly sacrificed a lot for his principles," she
said.<br><br>
Regan said Hogg has received a lot of support from the local
environmental community in the form of letters and financial support to
his life partner Cecilia Story, who had lived with Hogg.<br><br>
Contact the business, science and technology reporter at
eflorip@dailyemerald.com<br>
</font><x-sigsep><p></x-sigsep>
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