Nun faces up to 30 years in prison for protesting at nuclear weapons facility

An octogenarian Roman Catholic nun, jailed for breaking into a nuclear weapons facility in Tennessee, is facing up to 30 years in prison after losing her plea for the most serious charge to be dropped.

Sister Megan Rice, 83, and two fellow peace activists staged a non-violent protest to symbolically disarm the Oak Ridge Y-12 nuclear weapons facility, home to the nation's main supply of highly enriched uranium, in July. They were initially charged with trespassing, a misdemeanor punishable by up to a year in prison, but felony charges quickly followed. They were eventually convicted of interfering with national security and damage to federal property.

This week, a judge denied a motion to acquit them of interfering with national security under the sabotage section of the US criminal code, which carries the harshest prison sentence of up to 20 years

The initial misdemeanor charge was upped to a felony after phone calls made in custody mentioned that they broke in "to begin the work of disarmament"

The only problem is their "work" included peacefully protesting and painting slogans at the facility to call attention to their cause.

No damage was done to the facility and the prosecution even admitted that no damage was done to National Security.

www.theguardian.com...

The New York Times described the break-in as he "the biggest security breach" in the nation's atomic history.

Because they showed how easy such a thing can be done?

The actions of Sister Rice, a New York native who grew up on a prosperous block in Morningside Heights, and her companions, ages 57 and 63, are a huge embarrassment for President Obama. Since 2010, he has led a campaign to eliminate or lock down nuclear materials as a way to fight atomic terrorism. Now, the three — two of whom, including Sister Rice, are free and are awaiting trial in October — have made nuclear theft seem only a little more challenging than a romp in the Tennessee woods.

Obviously, the current administration isn't happy about that. Wonder if that's more of what's behind the harsher charges.

www.nytimes.com...

reply to post by Maluhia


Good grief.

Ok, thirty years for an eighty three year old nun, who was protesting against nuclear weapons, did no damage, and likely as not will be dead inside the next ten years in all probability?

Seems a bit arbitrary if you ask me, not to mention harsh.

"...faces 30 years in prison for protesting..."

While the potential sentence is completely uncalled for, it also serves as a reminder that any headline with the word "for" in it is usually a lie.
eg. "man arrested for..."
"woman killed for..."
"student fined for..."
"... Brutalize Man For Underage Gambling"
etc

She is facing sentencing for tresspass, property damage, national security issues, and so forth.
Not protesting.


P.S. Older thread...
www.abovetopsecret.com...

reply to post by alfa1

No, she was initially charged with a misdemeanor for trespassing - NO Damage was done. It was well after the story of the break-in got out - and caused embarrassment to those claiming these facilities are secure - that the charges were increased to a felony!

Thanks for posting the older thread - but the new information here is that her appeal was denied, which means they are still playing hardball. So, the story should get more attention.

reply to post by Maluhia



I would say so.. Gonna make an example out of the senior citizens who made a mockery out of mr wonderful..

I hope smarter cooler heads prevail in the sentencing..

reply to post by TrueBrit

Seems a bit arbitrary if you ask me, not to mention harsh

And that is the scary part. Seems like she has a good team behind her though. So, hopefully common sense and some maturity will prevail.

reply to post by Maluhia


She is obviously a religious fanatic hell bent on obtaining a nuclear device......

So this old nun wanders in to a facility we ostensibly have spent a gazillion dollars on securing since 9/11 and does what? Spray paints? Waives a protest sign? Has to sit down because it was a long walk from the 'security gate'?

We now jail nuns trying to make the world a better place? When will common sense prevail? Is there no adult supervision going on at the DOJ and its subordinates?

Embarrassing to the government. If its that easy to get in and approach this part of the facility, then we must make an example of the people that are responsible for letting that happen...

In July 2012, Megan Rice, an 82-year-old nun, and two fellow Plowshares activists entered the Y-12 complex and spray-painted anti-war slogans on the exterior of the Highly Enriched Uranium Materials Facility, a structure for storage of weapons-grade uranium. The anti-nuclear activists, who got past fences and security sensors before dawn on July 28, spent several hours in the complex, conducted a Christian peace ritual before they were stopped by a lone guard.

wiki

No damage except to security reputation of the idiots that guard the most dangerous stuff on the planet. How she got that close without ramming a gate or climbing over it or digging under it is beyond geriatric pondering. Maybe she flew over the fence like "The Flying Nun"?

Over reaction to the situation by authorities after the fact is quite reasonable though. Let alone building the damn bombs.

Gotta keep those radical religious fanatics in line. Don't want any of that to seep out and start a trend. Set an example of what we will do to elderly women who step out of lockstep.

It is harsh IMO but what else is new lately? Folks have gotten too comfy in their God chair it seems. Sadly she won't be the last. Examples are needed regularly to trot out for the media so the rest of us don't dare step out of line.

They are clearly pissed that she outwitted their highly paid, highly efficient security detail/regime so they have to get their pound of flesh for that as well.

reply to post by intrptr

Maybe she flew over the fence like "The Flying Nun"?

Too funny. Thanks for the laugh. Although I could see someone like Pelosi looking to write a law to stop those bas@*s flying nuns - or at least limit their fly zones!

Earth is doomed!!

Idiocracy is a documentary sent back from da future!

Idiocracy - Trailer
www.youtube.com/watch?v=BBvIweCIgwk
www.youtube.com...

reply to post by Kangaruex4Ewe

Examples are needed regularly to trot out for the media so the rest of us don't dare step out of line

You're right. Sure looks like intimidation to me - stemming from the directive of "don't embarrass dear leader".

Charges: Initially - misdemeanor. Story gets out - felony.

Problem is that the felony charge is not being covered or questioned by the MSM, so the majority of people don't see what's happening.

Well, you already know that, but that's the problem. The check to our checks and balance system no longer exists.

reply to post by Maluhia


A very sad, but all too typical, illustration of just how pathetic the situation has become in this country.

Land of the free and home of the brave ONLY in the slogans and propaganda.

Its OK people, the jail story is just a cover up.

When she was initially charged with trespass TPTB were impressed with her ninja like reflex's, knowledge of and ability to surpass highly advanced surveillance systems plus her camouflage and hacking abilities.

She has been recruited by the CIA to work as a 1 nun army in some of the worlds worst hot spots, guaranteed Assad and Kim jong will be dead by her hands within the week!!!!!

The above must be true otherwise this whole situation is 1 fricken joke after another.
83 year old nun sentenced to 30 years for breaking into high security nuclear weapons facility.

LMAO its kinda funny when you read that out loud

reply to post by IkNOwSTuff


LOL. Maybe someone could enlist her to break into Fort Knox and see if there really is any gold left.

Imagine if she broke into a nuclear submarine with her pals and sailed the seas demanding this and that
America,s security is a joke to the world. You lot panic at the slightest thing. I mean, if an old nun can do this, what about armed terrorists next? Would the lone guard have wet his pants and yelled for his mummy?
Probably all the CCTV cameras were off to save money at the time and the other guards were watching the cartoons on TV

Just looked and this happened again in 2012 with a break in then as well. Maybe it was the bishops then?

The Y-12 National Security Complex is a United States Department of Energy National Nuclear Security Administration facility located in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, near the Oak Ridge National Laboratory. It was built as part of the Manhattan Project for the purpose of enriching uranium for the first atomic bombs. In the years after World War II, it has been operated as a manufacturing facility for nuclear weapons components and related defense purposes.
Y-12 is managed and operated under contract by B&W Y-12 (formerly called BWXT Y-12), a partnership of Babcock and Wilcox (formerly called BWXT Technologies), and Bechtel.
In 2012, three anti-nuclear-weapons protesters broke into the highest-security area of Y-12.

scotsdavy1
Just looked and this happened again in 2012 with a break in then as well. Maybe it was the bishops then?

In 2012, three anti-nuclear-weapons protesters broke into the highest-security area of Y-12.

No, the 2012 break in is the same case we're talking about in this thread.
Although the media emphasis has been on the nun, and the nun alone, because hey, she's an old nun, and thats somehow funny... there were actually three of them.

But, a house painter isnt funny, or media worthy.

reply to post by scotsdavy1

I mean, if an old nun can do this, what about armed terrorists next? Would the lone guard have wet his pants and yelled for his mummy?

Security at these nuclear plants is a much bigger problem than anyone let's on. And yet, we pay billions of dollars to airport gropers to protect us!?

Virtually every major project under the National Nuclear Security Administration’s oversight is behind schedule and over budget — the result, watchdogs and government auditors say, of years of lax accountability for the agency responsible for maintaining the nation’s nuclear stockpile.

www.app.com...

That's why this story is such an embarrassment.