Downwinders Found Guilty of Trespassing

GavelPLYMOUTH – Four members of the Cape Downwinders, a group that opposes the Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station, were convicted today on trespassing charges stemming from a Mother’s Day incident in which they sought to plant flowers on the grounds of the nuclear power station.

Diane Turco, Sarah Thatcher, Susan Carpenter, and Mary Conathan were found guilty by Judge James Sullivan in Plymouth District Court.

The four women all received a suspended sentence and probation.

The four women used a necessity defense, arguing that their actions were justified because of the danger they say Pilgrim presents.

“He found the four grandmothers guilty of tresspassing,” said Cape Downwinders founder, Diane Turco. “We were unable to meet the requirements to use necessity defense. So the case became a straight trespassing case.”

Turco served as her own attorney and she said the judge asked her what her sentence should be.

She answered, “I will support the DA if the state of Massachusetts will put grandmothers in jail for caring about their children then that’s the way it is.”



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