Former animal liberation subversives inform on ex-comrades in exchange for leniency
This entry was posted on 6/11/2007 6:03 PM and is filed under Animal News.
NORTHWESTERN US -- Four people formerly active in the illegal direct action wing of the animal and environment liberation struggle have turned states' evidence against their former comrades in exchange for lighter sentences.
According to a June 4 press release from the North American Animal Liberation Press Office (NAALPO), all four have confessed to a series of arsons in the region "on behalf of animals and the environment," as the text of the release reads. One of them, Darren Thurston, was sentenced on May 29 to 37 months behind bars. Assistant US Attorney Stephen Peiffer cited Thurston's extensive cooperation with the authorities as justification for the light sentence, according to the press release. Peiffer claims that Thurston had only a minor role in the arsons and sought only to free horses present and to support his girlfriend, fellow informant Chelsea Gerlach and that he provided the authorities with data on a "whole array of activities and other people," more than was even required for the current investigation. Stan Meyerhoff and Kevin Tubbs have also recently turned states' evidence in the case.
Appearing before U.S. District Judge Ann Aiken, both the informants' defense lawyers and the prosecutors said that they feared that Meyerhoff, Tubbs, Gerlach, and Thurston would all fall victim to sexual abuse and other violence in prison because of their status as "snitches" unless they were afforded protective custody. Aiken said that she will write to prison officials to try to ensure the informants' safety. According to the NAALPO's press release, Paul Solomon, director of men's services at a post-incarceration support service provider in Eugene, Oregon, said that "snitches" are second only to child molesters as prime targets for abuse by other prisoners.
Meyerhoff, Tubbs, and Gerlach were also sentenced during the last week of May. Meyerhoff was sentenced to 13 years in prison, Tubbs, to 12 years and seven months, and Gerlach, to nine years. All three had entered guilty pleas and had agreed to testify against their ex-comrades as well as provide additional evidence. All offered apologies to the companies whom they and their former comrades had attacked. A fifth informant, Jacob Ferguson, wore a concealed wire for six years after the arsons were complicated in order to collect evidence against other animal liberationists. Ferguson, currently a part-time college student in Eugene, has never been incarcerated.
"These cowardly former warriors leave us all with a bad taste in our mouth; they have betrayed the struggle against exploitation of the Earth and her inhabitants and provided comfort to the abusers," NAALPO Press Officer Jerry Vlasak is quoted as stating in the June 4 press release. "Their self-serving fear of incarceration is a serious attempt to demoralize others who continue the fight and an embarrassment to themselves and the movement. Destruction of ecosystems and rampant mass murder of animals continues while they grovel and beg for mercy."
It is unclear in the press release whether any of the five informants were, in fact, affiliated with the Animal Liberation Front (ALF). The ALF is a leaderless underground organization operating in the US, Canada, and the UK. Anyone involved a direct action toward the goal of animal liberation who describes his or herself as a member of the ALF is automatically accepted as a member. The ALF's activities include damaging the property of individuals and companies that are directly or indirectly involved in the meat and fur industries, animal experimentation, or any kind of animal exploitation. The ALF also rescues animals from such individuals and companies and usually issues communiques to the press and public explaining its actions. Members often wear ski masks to hide their identities.
In addition to the ALF itself, there are legal, aboveground ALF Supporters Groups in the US and the UK. The NAALPO publishes communiques and press releases on behalf of the ALF for the benefit of journalists. The Animal Liberation Press Office UK performs the same role in its home country. Both the ALF and the Earth Liberation Front have been designated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) as domestic terrorist organizations. However, the ALF has never been known to commit or attempt assault or murder.
According to a June 4 press release from the North American Animal Liberation Press Office (NAALPO), all four have confessed to a series of arsons in the region "on behalf of animals and the environment," as the text of the release reads. One of them, Darren Thurston, was sentenced on May 29 to 37 months behind bars. Assistant US Attorney Stephen Peiffer cited Thurston's extensive cooperation with the authorities as justification for the light sentence, according to the press release. Peiffer claims that Thurston had only a minor role in the arsons and sought only to free horses present and to support his girlfriend, fellow informant Chelsea Gerlach and that he provided the authorities with data on a "whole array of activities and other people," more than was even required for the current investigation. Stan Meyerhoff and Kevin Tubbs have also recently turned states' evidence in the case.
Appearing before U.S. District Judge Ann Aiken, both the informants' defense lawyers and the prosecutors said that they feared that Meyerhoff, Tubbs, Gerlach, and Thurston would all fall victim to sexual abuse and other violence in prison because of their status as "snitches" unless they were afforded protective custody. Aiken said that she will write to prison officials to try to ensure the informants' safety. According to the NAALPO's press release, Paul Solomon, director of men's services at a post-incarceration support service provider in Eugene, Oregon, said that "snitches" are second only to child molesters as prime targets for abuse by other prisoners.
Meyerhoff, Tubbs, and Gerlach were also sentenced during the last week of May. Meyerhoff was sentenced to 13 years in prison, Tubbs, to 12 years and seven months, and Gerlach, to nine years. All three had entered guilty pleas and had agreed to testify against their ex-comrades as well as provide additional evidence. All offered apologies to the companies whom they and their former comrades had attacked. A fifth informant, Jacob Ferguson, wore a concealed wire for six years after the arsons were complicated in order to collect evidence against other animal liberationists. Ferguson, currently a part-time college student in Eugene, has never been incarcerated.
"These cowardly former warriors leave us all with a bad taste in our mouth; they have betrayed the struggle against exploitation of the Earth and her inhabitants and provided comfort to the abusers," NAALPO Press Officer Jerry Vlasak is quoted as stating in the June 4 press release. "Their self-serving fear of incarceration is a serious attempt to demoralize others who continue the fight and an embarrassment to themselves and the movement. Destruction of ecosystems and rampant mass murder of animals continues while they grovel and beg for mercy."
It is unclear in the press release whether any of the five informants were, in fact, affiliated with the Animal Liberation Front (ALF). The ALF is a leaderless underground organization operating in the US, Canada, and the UK. Anyone involved a direct action toward the goal of animal liberation who describes his or herself as a member of the ALF is automatically accepted as a member. The ALF's activities include damaging the property of individuals and companies that are directly or indirectly involved in the meat and fur industries, animal experimentation, or any kind of animal exploitation. The ALF also rescues animals from such individuals and companies and usually issues communiques to the press and public explaining its actions. Members often wear ski masks to hide their identities.
In addition to the ALF itself, there are legal, aboveground ALF Supporters Groups in the US and the UK. The NAALPO publishes communiques and press releases on behalf of the ALF for the benefit of journalists. The Animal Liberation Press Office UK performs the same role in its home country. Both the ALF and the Earth Liberation Front have been designated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) as domestic terrorist organizations. However, the ALF has never been known to commit or attempt assault or murder.