Posted on 08/19/2008 10:56:56 AM PDT by jazusamo
A Spokane woman was sentenced Tuesday to three years in federal prison in the May 2001 firebombing of the University of Washington Center for Urban Horticulture.
Lacey Phillabaum, 33, of Spokane, is one of five people -- members of a domestic terrorist group called the Earth Liberation Front -- who were accused by federal prosecutors of the arson attack that destroyed the building along with precious samples of rare and endangered plants species being cultivated for reintroduction into the Cascades. The ELF cell, dubbed "The Family," acted on the erroneous belief that a scientist at the center was doing the kind of genetic engineering work that they reviled as being dangerous to the environment.
Phillabaum cried in court, but composed herself to apologize to her victims. "When I think about the damage I did to you my heart is heavy," she said. "I acted as a bully and a tyrant, and I am ashamed that I tried to strong-arm social change."
Phillabaum pleaded guilty in October 2006 in an agreement with the U.S. Attorney's office in Seattle that called for a 36-month sentence.
Her sentence is the second lowest of a dozen members of The Family sentenced in the last two years for either the UW arson, other arson attacks, or both. It reflects the government's acknowledgment that, unlike several other members of The Family, she was involved in only one arson and that she has done everything that she can to atone for her crime, including testifying against other ELF members, Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Friedman told the court.
Her role in the arson involved helping to haul the firebomb to the Urban Horticulture Center, located near the University Village mall. She also helped draft a statement of responsibility released after the attack which said such genetic engineering would unleash mutant genes into the environment that is certain to cause irreversible harm to forest ecosystems. "I know there are people out there who are being pulled into the same radical subculture that glamorized arson for me," Phillabaum told the court Tuesday. "Radical activists who are cheering you on from the sidelines cannot know how it feels to have tried this, how your ideals might change afterwards. So listen to me: No matter your commitment today, when you bind to a crime like this, you spit on the rich experience of life."
Jennifer Kolar, another member of the ELF cell, pleaded guilty to the UW arson at the same time as Phillabaum. She was sentenced in July to five years in prison. Kolar played a role in an ELF rampage of arson over several years that included not only the UW, but also an Oregon meat packing plant, a Colorado gun club whose members killed prairie dogs for sport and a federal wild horse and burro facility where the animals slated to be killed for grazing on federal land were freed before the place was torched.
Briana Waters was sentenced in June to six years in prison after being found guilty at trial of the UW firebombing. Federal prosecutors allege that Waters -- like Kolar -- participated in other arsons.
Two other alleged ELF members accused of firebombing the Urban Horticulture Center have evaded justice. William Rodgers killed himself in a county jail in Prescott, Ariz., in December 2005 shortly after being arrested for the UW arson. And Justin Solondz, of Jefferson County, is a fugitive.
U.S. District Court Judge Franklin Burgess, in handing down the sentence, said: "Without her participation, and without her substantial assistance in this matter, this case might not have gotten off the ground."
He also ordered three years of supervised release for Phillabaum, who, like others convicted in the arson, is also on the hook for nearly $6.1 million in restitution.
Rebecca J. Rubin
Josephine Sunshine Overaker
Justin Franchi Solondz
Joseph Dibee
Twelve members of The Family previously sentenced.
Stanislas Gregory Meyerhoff - (5-23-07) - 13 years
Kevin Tubbs ----------------- (5-24-07) - 12 years, 7 months
Chelsea Dawn Gerlach ------- (5-25-07) - 9 years
Darren Todd Thurston---------(5-29-07) - 3 years, 1 month
Suzanne Nicole Savoie--------(5-31-07) - 4 years, 3 months
Sarah Kendall Tankersley-----(5-31-07) - 3 years, 10 months
Joyanna Lynn Zacher---------(6-01-07) - 7 years, 8 months
Nathan Fraser Block----------(6-01-07) - 7 years, 8 months
Daniel Gerard McGowan-----(6-04-07) - 7 years
Jonathan Paul--------------------(8-01-07) - 4 years, 3 months
Briana Waters-------------------(6-19-08) - 6 years
Jennifer Kolar-------------------(7-18-08) - 5 years
Family Ping!
Good!
1. line ‘em all up 2. kick ‘em in the ass 3. slam the jail door shut 4. throw the key away
Crocodile tears. She's only sorry she got caught. Since this is Federal time, she'll do every single day.
L
It would sure be nice if the FBI would make arrests regarding the animal rights terrorists in UC Santa Cruz, Berkeley and Los Angeles cases. If they’d come down on them hard it would get the attention of other would be domestic terrorists.
What would we have called for if they are Al Qaeda or Hezbo operatives. The punishment should be the same. Death Penalty for Terrorism, regardless of involvement. It guarantees ZERO repeat offenders.
Either a terrorist is a terrorist or it isn’t.
So are they terrorists?
Yes, she’ll do most every day. Federal courts do have a little time off sentence for good behavior but it’s not much.
Phillabaum voluntarily reported to federal prison in January of 2007 to start serving her sentence so she’s only got a little over a year to go.
I personally think every one of them got too light a sentence for the crimes they committed but that’s just me, I guess.
She burned down a GUN CLUB AND A MEAT PACKING PLANT and all she got was five years???
Can I get some justice???
Let's be fair now. She's also ordered to pay 6 million in restitution. That means whatever she manages to earn for the rest of her miserable life will be subject to garnishment.
Have fun living on minimum wage for the rest of your life you lefty b****.
L
Is this one of the blood sucking members of society that
the Hollywierd crowd supports?
I find this hard to understand, who pays these guys....?
Damn straight. Freakin' eco-terrorists. I want the max jail time for all of them AND fines in the amount it took the university to rebuild.
radiohead, UW 2007
Yep, that’s why I think they all got off too easy. The judges (and prosecutors I guess) gave a lot of credit to them for their cooperation, of course they only cooperated after they were fingered.
It’s crazy but most of these people were educated and some were well off financially and from well to do families, I haven’t read of any support from the Hollywood crowd.
Many went to UO in Eugene and Evergreen State in Olympia, leftist moonbat colleges.
I prefer to think of these people as “Freedom Fighters”...
Thank you, Edward Abbey, for making environmental terrorism look “romantic.”
“UW arsonist sentenced to federal prison”
- - -
I never cared much for the United Way,
I say send them all to prison.
What?
Oh?
Nevermind...
(rosana rosana dana)
Just my thoughts on that...LOL
Wa ping
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