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Der Tierbefreiungsaktivist Victor VanOrden wurde am 02. Februar 2012 in den USA zu fünf Jahren Gefängnis verurteilt. Ihm wird eine (versuchte) Nerzbefreiung vorgeworfen.

Viktor wurde zusammen mit Kellie am 10.10.2011 festgenommen während sie versuchten Nerze aus einer Farm bei Stone State Park in Iowa (USA) zu befreien. Beide sitzen seither im Gefängnis. Am 02. Februar wurde Viktor schließlich zu einer Gefägnisstrafe von fünf Jahren verurteilt. Zudem soll er 8.757 Dollar an den Farmbesitzer Steve Krage zahlen.

Der Richter Duane Hoffmeyer sagte zur Urteilsverkündung folgendes: "In der Zeit die es brauchte hierher zu fahren, hattest du genügend Zeit um dich selbst zu fragen "Was tust du gerade?"... und du hast trotzdem weiter gemacht." (In the length it takes to drive up here, you had numerous opportunities to ask yourself, 'What are we doing?' ... and you still kept on coming.")

Der Richter begründete die "milde" Strafe damit, dass Viktor sehr jung und bisher nicht straffällig geworden sei. Deshalb sei Viktor "nur" zu fünf und nicht zu 13 Jahren Haft verurteilt worden.

Unterstützt Viktor, mit Aktionen und Post:

Victor VanOrden
Woodbury County Jail
P.O. Box 3083
Sioux City, IA 51102
USA

Bericht vom Tag der Urteilsverkündung (von der Supportwebseite: http://supportkellieandvictor.blogspot.com/)

Victor sentenced to 5 years in prison. Kellie decides to plead not guilty and go to trial.

Today, District Judge Duane Hoffmeyer sentenced Victor to 5 years in prison after he pleaded guilty in Woodbury County District Court to releasing an animal from an animal facility and attempted third-degree burglary. In addition to the 5 year prison sentence, Judge Hoffmeyer ordered Victor to pay $8,757 in restitution to Steve Krage, the mink farm's owner.

Victor had agreed to plead guilty as part of a plea agreement, but the odd thing is that no sentence had been spelled out prior to this morning. The ultimate decision of the length of the sentence was left up to Judge Hoffmeyer. Originally, Victor's lawyer felt that this was a better direction to take instead of trial in which Victor would have been facing a maximum sentence of 13 years and could have been sentenced to the full duration of that time if found guilty by the jury.
The Judge told the court room that the decision was difficult because Victor is so young and has a clean slate (no prior criminal record).
The Judge Hoffmeyer was rather tough today in his deliberation stating, "In the length it takes to drive up here, you had numerous opportunities to ask yourself, 'What are we doing?' ... and you still kept on coming."
Judge Hoffmeyer said he would be open to reconsidering his sentencing order at some point.
"That's certainly on the table," he said.
It was reported by the Sioux City Journal that Kellie, Victor's wife, was sitting in the gallery behind her husband, and Kellie gasped when Judge Hoffmeyer announced his sentence.
Kellie was also scheduled to be sentenced today at 1:00 pm in which she was planning on pleading guilty, but after a short conversation with her attorney, her lawyer asked to speak with Judge Hoffmeyer and Assistant Woodbury County Attorney Drew Bockenstedt in the judge's chambers. When they returned to the courtroom, Judge Hoffmeyer opened the hearing and said he understood that Marshall did not wish to plead guilty.

Kellie is scheduled for trial March 6th 2012. Donations for legal fees are now needed more than ever!

Victor VanOrden, Woodbury County Jail, P.O. Box 3083, Sioux City, IA 51102

Some rules to keep in mind when writing your letter/card:

“All mail must be mailed using US Postal Service. You cannot use any other type of mail or package delivery. You should print the inmate’s name, inmate ID, and the address of the jail on the letter. Don’t mail anything in a package or box, envelope with padding or insulation, plastic bag, or an envelope with metal in it. All mail is opened and inspected by the staff, and will be sent back if they decide it is inappropriate. “

Don’t forget to write your full first and last name and a real return address. The jail will not accept any mail without a real return address that has a full name on the left hand corner. They will just put it in a locker and it will end of in never never land. And most importantly, please remember to not talk about anything directly or indirectly related to the case or to ask any questions about the case.

Support Viktor:

http://supportkellieandvictor.blogspot.com/

http://www.arprisoners.org/victor-vanorden-2/

http://directaction.info/prison_victor-kellie.html

http://www.animalliberationfrontline.com/most-serious-charge-dropped-aga...