Rick Paul Springer
A federal judge Tuesday freed an anti-nuclear activist who walked on stage at a broadcasters' convention and smashed a crystal statue just awarded to former President Ronald Reagan, showering the former chief executive with shattered glass but not injuring him.
U.S. District Judge Lawrence Levitt ordered Rick Paul Springer, 41, Arcata, Calif., freed on his own recognizance and ordered him to appear May 4 for a preliminary hearing on a charge of assaulting a former president; -- a federal felony.
The government argued against freeing Springer, saying he is 'obsessive and could be a threat to the community' during a coming week of protests against nuclear testing in the Nevada desert.
The judge said Springer is 'not a man to lead a violent life and there is nothing to indicate he would be a danger to the community.'
Levitt also gave Springer permission to attend the final two days of protests by the anti-nuclear group, 100th Monkey, a walk to the Nevada Test Site Saturday and Sunday, said organization spokeswoman Sarah Seed
The bearded Springer ambled on stage Monday as Reagan was accepting an award from the National Association of Broadcasters, grabbed the crystal statue of an eagle in flight from the podium and smashed it. Shards of glass showered Reagan, but he was not cut.
Reagan appeared startled as Secret Service Agents tackled Springer and dragged him off the stage.
'As he slammed the figurine on the podium, a large piece of glass broke off (and) struck Reagan on the side of his head in the temple area,' Lt. Charlie Davidaitis of Las Vegas Metropolitan Police said.
'Springer has indicated that had he known that the breaking of Ronald Reagan's award would cause such breakage and shattering he would never have done it as apart of the civil disobedience action,' said Springer's attorney, William Carrico.
Asked as he was led into the courthouse if he had any regrets, Springer replied, 'None, other than maybe the glass flying and hitting the president.'
Reagan was on stage to receive the NAB distinguished service award commemorating his years as a sports broadcaster. He had left the crystal statue sitting on the podium to his left as he addressed the convention.
Photographer Jim Maidhof said the protester was casually dressed and looked like he was a stagehand.
'I thought he was going to fix a microphone,' Maidhof said. 'He shouted, 'excuse me, Mr. President' in a rather vehement tone and then picked the award up and smashed it.'
Reagan returned to the stage moments after the disruption and continued his speech.
'Was he a Democrat, by chance?' Reagan quipped to a standing ovation from more than 3,000 conventiongoers.
An NAB spokesman said the crystal award, broadcasting's highest honor given to an individual, had been handmade for Reagan and would be replaced.
Springer is among a contingent of anti-nuclear demonstrators who have gathered in Las Vegas to denounce nuclear weapons testing at the Department of Energy test site.
The incident happened during the NAB's annual four-day convention at the Las Vegas Hilton Convention Center.
I remember when that happened.
That damn dirty hippie really took a swipe at the glass statue.
Could have lacerated Reagan's face or eyes.
I hope they gave Reagan a new copy.
If that dirtbag protester is still alive, he's likely locked up in some rubber room, or living under a bridge somewhere.
Failed to surrender for service of his sentence
Springer, who was opposed to nuclear bomb testing, felt called upon to interfere with a ceremony where former President Ronald Reagan was receiving a gift of a crystal eagle. Springer destroyed the eagle because he thought that would be an appropriate way to call attention to a nuclear bomb test scheduled for the next day. As a result, he was convicted of interference with the Secret Service and was sentenced to 120 days of incarceration for that offense. See 18 U.S.C. § 3056(d). He was ordered to surrender on April 2, 1993, but that date was later extended to June 2, 1993.
Springer determined that he would not surrender because something more important held his attention. He was concerned that a moratorium on nuclear testing was about to end, so he decided that jail could not be permitted to interfere with his desire to engage in protests against that possibility. He also saw his action, his refusal to surrender, as a form of civil resistance. By June 27, 1993, he discovered that the President had extended the moratorium. He still did not surrender. As he said, he wanted his surrender to be a media event, and he had not quite figured out how to finance or accomplish that. He was finally arrested on August 9, 1993, and this prosecution for failure to surrender ensued. See 18 U.S.C. § 3146(a)(2).