Earth First Vandals Ordered
To Pay Million-Plus Damages

GRANGEVILLE, Idaho —(AP)— The owner of road building equipment that was wrecked in the Nez Perce National Forest has won more than $1 million in damages from 12 Earth First! activists he accused of vandalism.

A jury recently sided with Highland Enterprises owner Don Blewett for damages and losses during the 1993 protest of the Cove-Mallard timber sale area.

The jury agreed to award Blewett $150,000 in compensatory damages and $999,999 in punitive damages.

Attorneys for the defendants said they would seek to overturn the verdict and award.

Although Blewett may never see any of the money, he said the decision was worth the effort of the two-week trial.

"If it does nothing but deter them from coming up there and causing us trouble again, it's worth it," Blewett said.

"The verdict is much more favorable than we could ever have hoped when this suit began," said his brother and attorney, Ron Blewett. "We proved that the defendants aren't ‘noble defenders of the Earth.’ They do the environment more harm than good, and they certainly aren't noble.

"Our victory is in establishing that the Earth First!ers are merely modern-day gangsters and thugs, and in sending a warning volley to others who would join them in similar conduct."

Attorney Tim Fleming represented Jennifer Prichard of Moscow, who was arrested in 1993 for chaining herself to a gate. But none of the defendants ever was criminally charged with vandalism of Highland's equipment, and Fleming claimed that shows the civil trial's verdict was unjustified.

"Considering the evidence that Highland had presented at her hearing (on chaining herself to the gate), that only cost them $1,500 in damages." Fleming said. "That would further explain why I think the verdict is wrong."

Attorney Bernard Zaleha, who represented the others, said he was disappointed by the verdict, but not surprised.

"The excessiveness of the verdict makes it clear this jury passionately desires timber to be the dominant industry in this area and that is what is reflected in this verdict," Zaleha said.

Zaleha said Judge George Reinhardt will be asked to overturn the verdict and the damage award.

In addition to Prichard, the defendants included Billi Jo Barker of Harmony, Maine; Rob Borden and Michael Vernon of Athens, Maine; Beatrix Jenness of Montrose, W.Va.; Lawrence Juniper of Bolinas, Calif.; John Kreilick of Missoula, Mont.; Peter Leusch of Driggs, Idaho; Peggy Sue McRae of Friday Harbor, Wash.; Karen Pickett of Canyon, Calif.; Erik Ryberg of McCall, Idaho, and Dana Wright of Waldobro, Maine.