Hammonds Outcome

Strict interpretation of the law, gone awry. A couple of Oregon ranchers, from two generations, were trying to protect their land and some crops by setting backfires. Unfortunately, these backfires got out of hand and burned 140 acres of BLM land. That act of self protection cost them pretty dearly. They were handed five-year sentences in federal prison and have served time. Having thought it over, apparently the original judge gave them less time as they admitted their guilt and cooperated fully with the law and paid a hefty finel. Now the Dept of Justice is demanding that they serve the full five years of prision— all this under a 1996 Anti-terrorism act. The Oregon Farm Bureau has stepped up with a petition to save the Hammonds. Ann Marie Moss, Communications Dir. for the Oregon Farm Bureau: “The judge at the initial hearing, Judge Hogan, gave them a lesser sentence than the minimum sentence of five years under this antiterrorism act because he could see that two ranchers setting preventative backfires was not what that kind of law was intended for. These aren’t terrorists. One of the ranchers has already served one year in jail and the other, three months, and paid their debt to society but now the US Department of Justice challenged that and are wanting them to serve their full five years in federal prison. And Wednesday, the two Oregon ranchers were sentenced to five years in federal prison. We are all gravely disappointed at this outcome.