William James Viehl sentenced to 2 years

ELP Information Bulletin (5th February 2010)

Dear friends

ELP has just learnt that William Viehl has been sentenced to 2 years after admitting
his role in an ALF raid on a fur farm.  Please send letters of support to:

William James Viehl
Inmate #2009-05735
Davis County Jail
800 West State St.
Farmington
UT 84025

USA.


Below is a mainstream media article about the sentencing.


http://www.sltrib.com/News/ci_14334119
Animal-rights activist gets 2 years in prison


Depending on who you believe, William James Viehl is either Harriet Beecher Stowe or
a terrorist.

U.S. District Court Judge Dee Benson voted for the latter and on Thursday sentenced
Viehl to two years in prison for releasing hundreds of minks from a South Jordan
farm.

"I don't know any better word for it than 'terror,'" Benson said during a long
explanation of his decision. "It's a form of terrorism."

Viehl last year pleaded guilty to one count of damaging and interfering with animal
enterprises. On Aug. 19, 2008, Viehl helped release about 425 female and 225 male
minks from the farm. Vehicles hit and killed seven, seven died of stress and 20 were
never recovered, said the farm's owner, Lindsey McMullin. Viehl and his co-defendant
also are accused of removing pedigree tags, forcing the McMullins to sell the
females for their pelts rather than breeding them.

The bandits also spray painted "ALF," for Animal Liberation Front, on a barn and the
words, "We are watching."

Viehl's lawyer, Heather Harris, asked for a six-month sentence that, with time
served, would have freed Viehl after his sentencing hearing. Harris argued the
federal statutes and sentences were meant to target wide-ranging conspiracies
against animal producers and researchers, not singular acts. Benson said he had
received letters from both advocates of the mink industry and people supporting
Viehl and the freeing of animals.

Benson, reading from the bench,

said one letter called Viehl "our Harriet Beecher Stowe," referring to the
anti-slavery crusader. Other letters, Benson said, compared Viehl or his actions to
the Boston Tea Party, World War II resistance fighters and Mahatma Gandhi.

Benson said those comparisons were "just ridiculous" and denounced the actions of
groups such as the Animal Liberation Front. Viehl's actions hurt "real people"
engaged in a law-abiding venture, Benson said.

Benson noted there was evidence Viehl conducted surveillance or helped release minks
from farms in Kaysville and Hyrum and said the federal sentencing guidelines for
crimes targeting animal producers and researchers do not permit enough prison time.

"We want to make it so other people don't want to be in that [defendant's] chair
either," Benson said.

Viehl stood and apologized in the courtroom.

"Whatever choice you make I will respect," he told Benson.

Benson said he considered giving Viehl up to three years in prison.

"That speech got you a year off," Benson said.

Viehl already has served about six months in jail while awaiting sentencing and will
be given credit for that time. Benson also sentenced Viehl to three years of
probation, during which time he cannot have contact with other people who advocate
the freeing of animals. Viehl also must pay about $66,000 in restitution, though he
can split that amount with his co-defendant, Alex Jason Hall, if he is convicted.
Hall is awaiting trial.

Outside the courtroom, McMullin said he was happy with the sentence. "This message
is being sent that this will not be tolerated in our country," McMullin said.

++++++

Earth Liberation Prisoners Support Network

BM Box 2407
London
WC1N 3XX
England

www.spiritoffreedom.org.uk