COLUMBUS - In the third day of trials, a federal magistrate sentenced two protesters Wednesday for trespassing at Fort Benning during a November 17 demonstration against the post's training school for Latin American soldiers. <br>
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The final two of 42 defendants tried this week were fined and sentenced to prison terms of six months and three months, respectively. <br>
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Forty protesters who appeared before U.S. Magistrate Mallon Faircloth earlier in the week received sentences ranging from probation to six months in prison. <br>
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Faircloth will try another 36 demonstrators next week. <br>
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In all, 85 protesters -- including a Roman Catholic priest, eight nuns and several veterans -- were arrested during the November demonstration at the west-central Georgia Army post. <br>
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Three pleaded guilty last year to trespassing. The judge sentenced two of them to probation and the third to 90 days in jail. Two others, including a man who drove onto the post accidentally, were not prosecuted. <br>
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Two college students accused of cutting a gate lock pleaded guilty to destruction of government property last week and are awaiting sentencing. <br>
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The protesters told Faircloth they carried the demonstration onto Fort Benning property to engage in patriotic dissent against an institution they believe contributes to terror inflicted on Latin Americans by soldiers trained here. <br>
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But Faircloth said the right to demonstrate, protest and express grievances ended at the Fort Benning boundary line. The judge said crossing that line when entry is forbidden is criminal trespass, and the courts are bound to enforce that law.
