SACRAMENTO 9/27/07 AP - A federal jury on Thursday found a 29-year-old environmental activist guilty of conspiring to burn down or blow up a northern California dam, a genetics lab, cell phone towers and other targets.
Eric McDavid of Foresthill, Calif. faces up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for what FBI agents said was as an eco-terrorist plot in the name of the Earth Liberation Front, a shadowy, loose-knit group of environmentalists that has claimed credit for arsons throughout the West.
McDavid and two others were arrested in January 2006 after purchasing bottles of bleach, a car battery, potassium chloride and other items prosecutors said were being used to build plastic explosives.
McDavid's two co-defendents pleaded guilty last year in exchange for testifying against McDavid.
Jurors listened to them and testimony from an undercover FBI informant before deliberating for 11 hours and returning the guilty verdict.
McDavid's attorney argued he was a victim of entrapment because the FBI informant provided money and help to buy the items.
U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott called the verdict a message the ELF "is misdirected in its tactics and a danger to the community."
"Eric McDavid and others like him choose to put innocent civilian lives in jeopardy for the sake of advancing their own extreme views," Scott said in a statement.
The Nimbus Dam on the American River near Sacramento, and the U.S. Forest Service's Institute of Forest Genetics in Placerville, in the foothills east of Sacramento, were among the alleged targets.
On September 27th, the jury in the case of United States vs. Eric McDavid returned a verdict of "guilty" following a trial over his involvement in planning bombings of several types of targets. Eric faces five to twenty years in federal prison. His fellow defendants had accepted plea deals from the government and testified in the case. McDavid's lawyer argued that he was a victim of entrapment by "Anna" because of the money and help that she had provided. His sentencing is scheduled for Thursday, December 6th at 9am before Judge England. Sacramento Prisoner Support is asking that people continue to call the jail and request that Eric be given vegan food.
Eric McDavid Found Guilty
On Thursday, September 27, after 9 days of court and two days of deliberation, a jury found Eric McDavid guilty of conspiracy. He now faces 5-20 years in federal prison, although no physical crime was committed. His sentencing will be handed down on December 6, 2007.
Reports from the courtroom detail the proceedings.
· September 10 covers jury selection, opening statements, and the government's first witness - a criminal investigator who had compiled information on the ALF, ELF, and anarchism.
· September 11 is the government's examination of Anna.
· September 12 is defense counsel's cross examination of Anna as well as the government's next two witnesses - Anna's handler, and an arresting officer.
· September 17 heard testimony from Lauren Weiner and Zachary Jenson - two cooperating codefendants - and a computer forensics analyst.
· September 24 is cross-examination and testimony of cooperating witness Zachary Jenson, as well as Defense's first two witnesses.
· September 25 & 26 are the Government and Defense's closing arguments, and instructions to the jury before deliberation.
Eric is currently being denied vegan meals and his support team is asking folks to call the jail at 916-874-6905 and request that Eric be provided with food he can eat. When you call be prepared to sit through lots of transfers and ringing. The person who made the decision to deny Eric food is Lt. Ilg. You can also request to speak with his superior, Scott Jones. Make sure you have Eric's X-ref number handy: x-2972521.
