SHAC leaders sentenced in Britain & New Jersey

From ANIMAL PEOPLE, October 2006:
LONDON, TRENTON–Five alleged
instigators of property damage and threats
directed at facilities, business partners, and
employees of Huntingdon Life Sciences in
mid-September 2006 drew prison terms ranging from
three to six years.
Northampton Crown Court Judge Ian
Alexander on September 20 sentenced molecular
biologist Joseph Harris, 26, to three years as
the first person convicted under a new British
law against economic sabotage.
“Harris, of Bursledon, Hampshire, broke
into premises in Nottingham, Bicester and
Northampton,” summarized Nicola Woolcock of the
London Times, “where he slashed tires, flooded
offices, and poured glue into locks. He caused
more than £25,000 in damage.” Harris apparently
began the attacks in a futile bid to keep a
girlfriend who left him, the court was told,
because of animal experiments he did in
connection with pancreatic cancer research.

In Trenton, New Jersey, former Stop
Huntingdon Animal Cruelty USA president Kevin
Kjonaas, 28, drew six years; former SHAC
campaign coordinator Lauren Gazzola, 25, drew
52 months; former SHAC web site manager Jacob
Conroy, 30, drew 48 months; former SHAC west
coast coordinator Joshua Harper and former SHAC
New York coordinator Andrew Stepanian each drew
36 months; and former SHAC researcher Darius
Fullmer received a year and a day. All were also
ordered to help pay $1 million in restitution to
the people and companies they were convicted in
March 2006 of harassing.
Kjonaas and SHAC spokesperson Andrea
Lindsay told reporters that the sentences would
be appealed. Lindsay added that the restitution
would not be paid because SHAC as an organization
is defunct and has no assets.
Operating animal testing labs in both
Britain and the U.S., Huntingdon has been a
sporadic focus of antivivisection protest since
1972, and virtually besieged since the July 1997
television airing of an undercover video made at
the British facilities, which led to the firing
and convictions for cruelty of two technicians
who were shown allegedly punching a beagle.