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Statement from Matt Whyte of the Santa Cruz 2

by anon (naelpsn [at] tao.ca)
This is a statement from Matt Whyte who is serving 14 months of possession of incendiary devices.
Photo is his co-defendent Peter Schnell on the left and Matt on the right.
mp.jpgn75222.jpg
-forwarded on behalf of Matt Whyte and The Santa Cruz Two Defense Fund--
This is a statement written by Matt Whyte, from prison. He asked me to type it, and forward it to you for publication. If you do choose to publish it, please print the complete statement, as it is written. Do not edit it for length or anything else. [These are his own words, and if they are to be published, Matt wants them printed as is. Any questions, feel free to email me at santacruztwo [at] hotmail.com. Thank you all]
======
STATEMENT FROM MATT WHYTE

On January 28, 2002, in San Jose Federal Court, Petey and myself were handed sentences of 24 and 14 months, respectively, for pleading guilty to one count of possession of unregistered firearms -- incendiary devices. Disregarding the persistent attempts of the assistant USAttorney Scott Frewing to label us as having a terrorizing effect on animal abusers (he was careful not to label us as "terrorists" directly),
the judge ordered a lesser sentence than we anticipated from this fascist government. With rise in the public's sympathetic support for the US government's crusade against terrorism, and with new legislation such as the Patriot Act legalizing the feds' unwarranted snooping, taping, recording as
admissible in court, it should be of no surprise that
animal/earth liberators are increasingly being watched in their scope. A rise in repression can only account for the rising level of resistance in effect.

Petey and I were in possession of several incendiary devices when we were stopped by the police in Capitola, CA, and after an illegal search of the car, those items were found. Four days later, the ATF took over the case because of our past criminal
records as "animal rights activists" and we were charged with one count of possession and one count of making destructive devices/unregistered firearms. The charges were originally introduced into legislation to criminalize the civilian possession/making of sophisticated military-grade armaments. During the anti-war movement, the statute was broadened in an attempt to break the growing underground resistance, making it a federal crime to have simple, unsophisticated incendiary devices, such as we had.

Throughout our year-long case, our legal strategies were solid and handled as well as it could be. It should be understood that those fighting for wildness and liberation are not going to win over any moral high ground in the federal courts, not unless it involves bombing a small, oil-rich, war-ridden country
like Afghanistan, and especially not for attempting to disable a few dairy trucks, as it's said. It's their court and it's their rules and it's our choice we made to play their game and be regretful (for getting caught!) to receive lower sentences. It disturbs me when arrogant fucks, who've never experienced --directly or not -- the hammer of the feds, jump the gun and talk down within their internet-activist circles the choices of those
who have worked to get a lower sentence. It's a waste of breath to try and reason with the federal courts and with this genocidal and oppressive government. I trust a roomful of political reformists as far as I could throw them.

Petey, you take care, buddy, so that our tracks may cross under the rising of the moon.

!! Tierra y Libertad !!
Matt Whyte
#99477-111
Taft Correctional Institution
PO Box 7001
Taft, CA 93268

---------------------------------------
Support Matt & Petey!
santacruztwo [at] hotmail.com
Please send donations to:
Santa Cruz 2 Defense Fund
P.O. Box 583
Eugene, OR 97440
USA

Write them!
Matthew Whyte #99477-111 / TCI / PO Box 7001 / Taft, CA 93268

Peter Schnell #99476-111 / FCI Otisville / PO Box 1000 /
Otisville, NY 10963

Back ground info:
Matt Whyte and Peter Schnell, two long-time animal and earth activists, were sentenced on January 28th in federal court in San Jose, CA. Matt was sentenced to 14 months in prison, and 3 years supervised release, and Petey was sentenced to 24 months in prison, and 3 years supervised release.

Matt Whyte and Peter Schnell were arrested in January of 2001 in Capitola, CA (near Santa Cruz) in possession of components for incendiary devices. Federal charges were filed a few days after their arrest, and state charges were dropped. Matt was held for around a month, and Petey for about two months, before being released on bond. Matt and Petey accepted a plea bargain in federal court in October 2001, pleading guilty to one of the two federal charges.

For more information or to send donations contact:
Santa Cruz Two Defense
PO Box 583
Eugene, OR 97440
santacruztwo [at] hotmail.com

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