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Watch Alert: Patrick Liteky, 2002
John Patrick Liteky arrested for civil disobedience on Sunday, August 4th, 2002 at the Y12 Complex in Oak Ridge Tennessee. Patrick crossed the line to protest the continuing development of nuclear weapons and materials at this Complex.
This Watch expired - 04/03/2003 |
04/03/2003 - Call from Patrick Patrick called today from a motel in Columbus Georgia. His 2 sons are with him and he is tired but very happy to at last be free. ----------------------------------------------------------------- 03/02/2003 - Another Poem from Patrick "42 Days To Go" ----------------------------------------------------------------- 1/6/2003 - From John Toren Patrick just informed me by phone that his early release date is not going to happen. His release date is now 4/3/2003. ----------------------------------------------------------------- 12/31/2002 - Patrick wrote a Poetic Memoir about Phil Berrigan and life at the Johah House. Phil's Peace Pancakes ----------------------------------------------------------------- 12/21/2002 - Patrick's Tribute to Phillip Berrigan following Phil's death on the 6th of December. A Tribute To Phillip Berrigan ----------------------------------------------------------------- 11/19/2002 - Patrick's latest article to Judges Open Letter To U.S. Judges & Magistrates, Especially Georgia ----------------------------------------------------------------- 11/15/2002 - To all the runners taking part in the Run For Freedom - 2002 - Prisoners Of Conscience. John Patrick Liteky - Crisp county Jail "By running, walking, praying, chanting, fasting you an I are witness to the world, in the most disarming ways that we are putting our lives on the line - across the line! - for peace, justice, love and nonviolence. I sing along with U-2 "WALK ON,WALK ON, WALK ON!"" ----------------------------------------------------------------- 10/26/2002 - Patrick's latest article on the prison system. Who's Watching The Watchers ----------------------------------------------------------------- 10/02/2002 - From Pat Hoffman Hello John Toren, I got a call from Patrick Liteky tonight. He's at the Crisp Co. Jail. (83275-020 C3) 197 wy 300 So. Cordele, Georgia 31015. He doesn't know when he'll be transferred. He got 6 months. If you have Libby and Erik's email, please notify them. Thanks, Pat Hoffman ----------------------------------------------------------------- 9/2/2002 - From Patrick "I'm doing just fine. You and everyone else can send me photos, just no Polaroids. I cannot receive: 1. Stationery 2. Stamps and envelopes 3. Post cards, pre-paid blank ones. 4. News clippings 5. Email 6. Books They just send it all back or throw it out" "I am getting lots of mail. I don't have enough stamps and envelopes here to deal with it all. But not to worry. I will answer everyone when I can." "I have only 3 1/2 weeks here then to GA. Then who knows?" "Thanks a million for all the mail. Don't worry about me. I'm fed, medicated, housed, clothed, entertained and I don't have to worry about getting fat with beer!" "Thanks and Peace Patrick" ----------------------------------------------------------------- 08/27/2002 - From Erik Johnson John -- Thanks for your last message. Briefly, because I am on the run. Pat is still at Blount Co. Jail and it is not clear if and when he will be moved, though almost everyone, including his attorney, thought he would be transferred to Georgia last week. Last night there was a lock down just before Libby and I were to go in to see him for weekly visit but I got to see him thisa.m. -- He is doing well, spirits high, humor intact, working hard to help others,hoping to serve out his 60 days time here with the greater hope that something can be resolved with probation violation in Georgia for SOA action and permit him to move on to Asheville NC to near his son Josh. His address is as before: John Liteky #2002004260 Blount County Jail 920 E. Lamar Alexander Parkway Maryville, TN 37804 Thanks for your witness on the walk and your ongoing efforts to bring life to our times. Peace and blessings, Erik Incidently, my report date and place: Manchester, Kentucky on Sept 10 for 6 mos. More later. ----------------------------------------------------------------- 08/26/2002 - From Libby Johnson Just got word today, 8-22-02, Pat will not be transfered to GA for another 30-40 days or until after 10-2-02. Will keep you posted. ----------------------------------------------------------------- 08/26/2002 - From John Toren I received a note from Patrick today. He said: "Give my best to all our walking mates. Got to get settled before I can write more." "Love Patrick" ----------------------------------------------------------------- 08/21/2002 - From John Toren I received a letter from Patrick today. It was dated 08/17/2002 "As I sit here in my cell, I'm itching to get back to my computer and finish COINS. I'm being sent to GA in 2 or 3 days from now, so i'll be out of touch till I get settled. Libby will be my contact in Maryville TN" "I'm hanging in there !" "Love Pat" Note: COINS is a reference to a screen play Patrick is writting. The title will be Coins Of The Realm" and is going to be a powerful anti-war anti-violence film when completed. ----------------------------------------------------------------- 08/17/2002 - From Libby Johnson Pat is being extradicted to Coumbus, GA this Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday. He received word from the prosecutor's office in Georgia this past Friday that they want him there. We were all very surprised as we thought he had to serve his 60 days here on federal charges of trespassing onto DOE property at the Y-12 plant. Erik and I have been visiting him every Monday evening so we have at least one more chance to see him before he is transferred. We'll keep you posted if other surprises and changes occur. Charlie, Josh Utsumi, Denise, and the OREPA (Oak Ridge Environmental Peace Alliance) group who have been supporting Pat during all this legal mess, have all been notified of his transfer Pat wanted you to know of the change. He is doing well, of course, and is always keeping us fired up to keep on keeping on. He has been a great witness to our group here in East TN. Hope our lives come together at some point in the near future. We will keep on keeping on. In spirit and solidarity, Libby Johnson ----------------------------------------------------------------- 08/10/2002 - From Erik Johnson Pat is doing well; in local jail here in Maryville (just 4 blocks from our old yellow house). We have been in strong support twice in Federal Court in Knoxville (on Monday when we was arraigned and yesterday -- Friday -- when he pleaded guilty and received 60 days prison term in the Federal Bureau of Prisons system, but likely will serve out his term here in Maryville. Also, he was given 1 year supervised probation. The folks in Georgia wants him back for his probation violation and that will take place after he serves his time here -- possibly facing less time then the 3 years he and others thought, maybe as little as 6 to 8 months. All in all, Pat is very glad he made the choice he did, made a grand statement to the court (will forward to you when I get it transcribed. Son Josh, Marcus and Atsuka and good group of Orepa folks were all in court Friday. Utsumi and Denise were present during his arraignement. He is well, strong in spirit, health concerns are attended to satisfactory to Pat, and finds the Blount Co. Jail somewhat acceptable, as far as jails go. You and others can write him at: John Likety (not Patrick) Blount County Jail 920 E. Lamar Alexander Parkway Maryville, TN 37804 Visitation is for one hour only, on Sunday afternoon from 1 - 2 and limited to four names he provided, Libby and I are on the list as well as son Josh and Charlie brother. ----------------------------------------------------------------- 08/10/2002 - From Marcus Atkinson Patrick can receive mail. I understand from Marcus that it should only be mail, no pictures etc. I will try to get an address for other articles later. Please send Patrick a post card or letter of support. John Patrick Liteky 2002004260 Blount County Jail 920 East Lamar Alexander Parkway Maryville, TN 37804 ----------------------------------------------------------------- 08/09/2002 - From Marcus Atkinson Hi there, This morning at John Patrick Liteky's court hearing at Knoxville, TN he was sentenced to serve 60 days in county jail. After this 60days, he will have to face more court cases on breaking his supervised probation from his action at School of Americas (Columbus, GA). Here is tne copy of his plea statement this morning; Todays is August 9th. "Pastor Deitrich Bonhoeffer, of the Lutheran church, and eminent theologian and ethicist, wrote 'there are times when we must found guilty of a crime.' Today, August 9th, the fifty-seventh anniversari of Nagasaki's oblateration by an atomic bomb partly made here in Tennessee's Oak Ridge facility, I am privilaged to plead guilty to the terrible crime of tresspassing. Yes, I did climb a barrier and walk across a stretch of restricted road to deliver a symbolic victims body to representatives of the Y-12 nuclear weapons facility. I did so openly, non-violently, prayerfully and solely of my own volition. Noone knew ahead of time of my intended action, so there is no conspiracy to be probed. I believe nuclear weapons are diabolical. God has commanded us not to kill. We must destroy all our nuclear weapons, all over the world so that children and all other living things may grow and flourish in peace. And will someone please tell George W. Bush, the word is nuclear, and not nu-cu-lar! I was raised by working class Catholic parents who raised their three boys to tell the authorities if anything is wrong. I was telling authorities something is wrong. " ----------------------------------------------------------------- 08/08/2002 - From Marcus Atkinson on crossing the blue line at the Y-12 Nuclear Weapons Plant Oak Ridge, Tennessee August 4, 2002 On Sunday, August 4,2002, John Patrick Liteky crossed the blue line in Oak Ridge, Tennessee and was arrested on federal charges of trespass at a nuclear weapons installation. Later, Thirteen others were arrested on state charges for blocking the road leading into the bomb plant. On Monday, August 5th, Patrick appeared in district court in Tennessee for arraignment. This is the statement he offered: "I didn't think that I was going to cross until I was there, at the blue line. I decided to cross, to carry the body of the victim, When I heard the news that our illegally elected President was talking about actually using mini-nukes to bomb Iran, Iraq, or whoever, and that this is the place where those bombs will be made. "I felt a necessity to present the body-to symbolically return this body to the place where its death was caused. "I presented the body to the authorities. My act was not simply a trespass. I gave the name of Robert Oppenheimer to the authorities because I felt like I am his son. We are all his children. We all agreed with the use of the bomb at the time. But Oppenheimer later recanted. He recanted. I was repenting him. "I am going to fast, a water only fast, from Tuesday, AUgust 6, to Friday, August 9. It will not be a protest fast, but a remembrance. "I am clear and happy. I have never been better. I hope the other arrestees are okay." ----------------------------------------------------------------- 08/06/2002 - From Marcus Atkinson Hi John, We just got back to Toby's from the vigil at Y-12 this morning, Patrick talked to Ralph yesterday afternoon an he is starting a water only fast today until the 9th, Not as a protest but as a remembrance for the victims of the atomic bombs.... He has given Ralph a statement about why he decided to cross.. I will be trying to met with Ralph and Eric latter to get a copy... When I get it I will e mail you a copy, Along with a statement from OREPA about the actions the other day ----------------------------------------------------------------- 08/05/2002 - From Marcus Atkinson We went to Knoxville Courthouse this morning, the arraingment was set at noon, it started on time, there were about 15 people from our community to support...was good. Anyway, it lasted ten minutes and now Patrick is questioning his period of supervised probation...he thinks because it was issued on July 24th, 1999, it should have ended on July 24th, 2002. Neither government prosecutor nor Patrick side had enough information to aggue this point, so he is still detained until Friday morning when the pre-trial hearing will be held. The next court date is set for Friday, 8th, at 9AM...we would like to stay to support him at the hearing if you don't need the Trooper in hurry. We will leave as soon as the hearing ends... ----------------------------------------------------------------- |
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