Humboldt Activist Sentenced to 60 Days in Jail

On May 15, 2002 Ethan Coonen pled no contest to Violation of Court Order (PC 166(A)(4), a temporary restraining order (TRO) levied on numerous activist as part of a SLAPP suit (Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation) by Pacific Lumber and subcontractors of PL. Two other misdemeanor charges were dismissed: Entering land to interfere with business (PC 602(J)) and resisting or obstructing an officer (PC 148(A)(1)). The court imposed a $100 restitution fine and $75 booking fee. The 60 day sentence starts June 9th when Ethan will be jailed in the Humboldt County Correctional Facility in Eureka, Ca. Ethan refused to consider a shorter jail term which would have carried with it several years of probation. Ethan, age 19 and a life-long resident of Humboldt County, entered PL land on September 6th, 2001 and non-violently occupied a canopy of trees along Brushy Ridge in the North Fork Mattole Watershed where he was arrested.

The trees Ethan was attempting to save from Pacific Lumber/Maxxam clear cutting are in the largest continuous stand of lowland Old Growth Douglas Fir in the state. The trees which were clear-cut after Ethan’s arrest were on steep, landslide prone slopes. Over 50 activists have been arrested defending this endangered forest over the past couple of years. There are five more approved timber harvest plans in this watershed yet to be logged. Ethan said "that as long as unsustainable harvesting practices continue, people will continue to risk arrest defending the forest and watershed. If Pacific Lumber wants to remedy the problem, all they have to do is be willing to sell the land”. Members of the Mattole Restoration Council are working to obtain funds with the hope of purchasing Mattole watershed land.