Fort Benning protestors ask for a new judge in their case

COLUMBUS - Defendants charged with trespassing at Fort Benning to protest a school for Latin American soldiers asked a federal magistrate to withdraw from hearing their cases Friday because of alleged prejudicial comments. <br> <br> The motion, filed by New Orleans attorney William Quigley, seeks the removal of Magistrate G. Mallon Faircloth because of statements in court and to reporters that were a ``indication of bias, prejudice and lack of impartiality.&#39;&#39; <br> <br> Faircloth did not immediately return a phone call for comment. <br> <br> Eighty-five protesters were arrested in November for trespassing at Fort Benning during the annual protest of School of the Americas Watch, a group that blames the Army&#39;s former School of the Americas for human rights abuses. <br> <br> The School of the Americas, which moved to the Army post in 1984, trained Latin American soldiers. Its successor, the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation, trains soldiers, civilians and police officers. The school has added mandatory human rights courses. <br> <br> This year, about seven thousand protesters gathered for the 13th annual demonstration, which is timed to mark the killings of six Jesuit priests in El Salvador on November 19, 1989. Some of the killers were identified as School of Americas graduates. <br> <br> Of the 85 arrested this year, two have pleaded guilty and four will get a jury trial before a federal judge. The remaining 79 were to appear before Faircloth.