THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, January 20, 1996 TAG: 9601200323
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: ASSOCIATED PRESS
DATELINE: NEWPORT NEWS LENGTH: Short : 43 lines
A federal magistrate on Friday set March 19 for the trial of three disarmament activists accused of damaging a submarine under construction at Newport News Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Co.
The defendants - Rick Sieber, 47, and his son, Erin Sieber, 21, both of Philadelphia, and Michele Naar-Obed, 39, of Baltimore - pleaded innocent at an arraignment before Magistrate James E. Bradberry.
``I'd like to plead for the children of the future,'' the elder Sieber said before Bradberry cut him off.
``I'm not going to hear any of it,'' the magistrate said.
The three members of the Plowshares peace group are charged with cutting a fence at the shipyard Aug. 7 and climbing aboard the submarine Greeneville, where they allegedly poured blood and hammered on missile launch tubes.
The intruders were wearing fake identification badges with photographs and bar codes cut off candy and soft-drink packages. The badges were labeled ``disarmer.''
They were convicted of trespassing in state court, but the more serious property damage charges were moved to federal court.
The three were indicted this month on five counts, including conspiracy and destruction of national defense material. They face up to 45 years in prison and fines of $1.5 million if convicted.
They are free on bond and have requested a jury trial.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Harvey Bryant told Bradberry the government has offered immunity in return for the subpoenaed testimony of Amy Moose.
Moose, 30, of New York, was a fourth participant in the shipyard protest but, because of an illness in her family, agreed in November to plead guilty to a state charge of property destruction. She was ordered to pay restitution and perform 100 hours of community service.
KEYWORDS: PLOWSHARES CONSPIRACY DESTRUCTION PROPERTY DAMAGE by CNB