Posted on 05/04/2007 10:16:57 PM PDT by mdittmar
LOS ANGELES – An animal rights group that placed photos of city workers on its Web site and held noisy demonstrations at their homes was fined $49,600 and barred from harassing them.
The Animal Defense League-Los Angeles was fined after pleading no contest Thursday to seven criminal charges, including trespassing and conspiracy. Seven other charges were dropped by city prosecutors.
The city filed misdemeanor charges against the organization but “the judgment does include all members,” city attorney's spokesman Frank Mateljan said.
League representatives could not immediately be reached by phone for comment.
The city claimed that the league harassed workers in 2004 and 2005 to pressure the city to stop euthanizing stray animals at its shelters.
The activists staged rowdy demonstrations near the homes of Animal Services Department officials, one of which resulted in a bomb scare. They also posted photos and personal information on some employees on their Web site.
The group argued its actions were protected by the right of free speech.
The city argued that the issue was “protecting the privacy and the safety of our employees,” Mateljan said.
“This sentence should send a clear message to anyone who engages in this harassing criminal behavior ... that we will not abide terror in our communities, whatever form it takes,” City Attorney Rocky Delgadillo said in a statement.
In addition to the fine, a Superior Court judge gave the group three years of probation that bars it from “annoying, harassing, threatening, stalking or committing any act of force or violence” against Animal Services employees.
The group is barred from demonstrating within 100 feet of the homes of previously targeted workers and the league must remove their photos and personal information from its Web site.
“placed photos of city workers on its Web site and held noisy demonstrations at their homes”
Good thing they didn’t through rocks and bottles at LA city workers, else they might have got that on TV, and then the city would have had to pay.
a 46,000 fine is a good start.
It should happen more often, and holding ALL members responsible means they all go to jail if they default?
[b]”The group argued its actions were protected by the right of free speech[/b]
I’m always amazed how far they can stretch and twist that Amendment and at the same time compess the next one to near extinction.
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