Dear friends,
I, and the Civil Liberties Defense Center have been assisting non-cooperating defendants dragged into the Green Scare prosecutions of environmental and animal rights activists since late 2005 (grand juries as far back as 02!). Marie Mason is one of those activists currently facing life in prison as the result of a snitch who was also her husband until they recently divorced. I have worked with her and her attorney since shortly after her indictment. Her attorney utilized our plea agreements from the Oregon non-cooperating defendants’ cases in negotiating Marie’s case. Her attorney has provided me with, and I have reviewed all of the court documents in her case including her plea agreement.
I state with unequivocal confidence and knowledge that Marie has been absolutely stalwart in her commitment to not cooperate with the government, and to do no act that would damage the larger environmental movement in any way. She is an amazingly strong woman and I wish I had met her before her legal troubles began. Her plea agreement and negotiations do not require her to provide any information at all, other than to admit her own crimes in open court. The feds wanted their boy Ambrose to also be listed in the crimes that Marie is pleading to and to which Ambrose not only admitted, but gave up info on anything and everything he could think of. She has never confirmed or denied his role in any crime, but based upon the feds insistence that he be named in her plea counts, she will agree in court that if the feds say he did it, and Ambrose himself has sung like a canary, then so be it. Ambrose made his own bed long ago (see below). Like the other noncooperating defendants, the government could subpoena her to a grand jury or trial in the future. It would be her choice at that point whether to cooperate or not. Based upon the fact that she was willing to go to trial and face the rest of her life in prison if she was not offered a pure non-cooperation deal, I think we can speculate as to her decision if she was merely facing a contempt charge. Hopefully that will not happen.
Marie has not received any favors or special treatment by the US Attorneys prosecuting her in Michigan; in fact, it is despicable that Marie may do more time then any other Green Scare defendant to date as a result of her choice to not snitch. Marie joins Jonathan Paul, Daniel McGowan, Sadie, Exile, Briana Waters, Tre Arrow, Rod Coronado, Eric McDavid and several others I am probably forgetting to mention –these folks are wholeheartedly deserving of our support as activists that have maintained their integrity in the face of political persecution by the federal government. They will do extra days or years in prison as a result of their refusal to give information to the feds used to prosecute others. Please take a moment to familiarize yourself with Marie’s situation. If you are able to contribute financially, I’m sure they would deeply appreciate it, and if not, please show solidarity for Marie as she goes through the process of being yanked away from her children and family for a long time.
Peace,
Lauren C. Regan,
Attorney at Law
The Civil Liberties Defense Center
