ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Friday, May 17, 1996 TAG: 9605170081
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B-4 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: NORFOLK
SOURCE: ASSOCIATED PRESS
An abortion protester pleaded guilty Thursday to a single count of conspiracy to commit arson at women's clinics in Newport News and Norfolk.
As part of a plea agreement, Clark Ryan Martin agreed to help authorities in a federal investigation of abortion-clinic violence. The 24-year-old Old Dominion University student had been indicted in March on charges of conspiracy, two counts of arson and two counts of using fire to commit a felony.
The other four charges were dropped in exchange for Martin's plea to the conspiracy count in U.S. District Court. He could face as much as five years in prison and up to $250,000 in fines when sentenced Aug.22.
``He's terribly contrite and expressed that to the authorities,'' said Martin's lawyer, Richard Brydges.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Burrows said Martin assisted Jennifer Patterson Sperle, 23, of Wichita, Kan., in attacks on the two abortion clinics between July 1994 and March 1996.
According to prosecutors, Martin provided a flare and stood watch while Sperle allegedly inserted the ignited flare into the mail slot of a Newport News clinic.
He also stood watch and threw a piece of concrete through the window of a Norfolk clinic Sperle allegedly was breaking into, Burrows said. After gaining access to the Norfolk clinic, Sperle spread kerosene and ignited it, Burrows said.
Martin and Sperle originally pleaded innocent to the charges. Sperle plans to take her case to trial June 11, said Walter B. Dalton, her attorney.
Brydges said he pursued a plea agreement to prevent Martin from facing up to 20 years in prison.
Dalton said he expected Martin would be asked to testify against Sperle, who participated in local anti-abortion demonstrations before she moved from Norfolk to Kansas last year.
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