Saturday, July 23, 2005

Madison, Wisconsin - Those who were hoping that alleged Animal Liberation Front member Peter Young would escape spending the rest of his life in prison have got their wish. Federal prosecutors dropped four extortion charges against him, which carried sentences of up to 20 years each. He still faces two counts of animal enterprise terrorism — misdemeanors that each carry only a year in prison each, at most. Prosecutors were forced to drop the charges because since he was charged seven years ago the law has been defined to only apply to those who take something (mink animals) rather than just deprive one of something. Peter may now end up spending less time in prison than his alleged accomplice Justin Samuel who cooperated fully with authorities and named names in order to receive "leniency."