環(huán)保主義者好意作假遭重罰

A federal court in Salt Lake City has found a climate-change activist guilty of two felonies with disrupting Bush administration Oil and Gas Auction in 2008. NPR’s Howard Berkes reports Tim DeChristopher has tried to tell the jury he committed the crime to prevent greater harm. But U.S. District Judge Dee Benson wouldn’t allow that “necessity” defense. Still, 29-year-old Tim DeChristopher did manage to tell the jury he disrupted the auction of oil and gas leases hoping to delay drilling until the Obama administration could review the leasing process. He placed close to 2-million dollars in bogus bids. Assistant U.S. attorney John Huber told the jury DeChristopher chose a path of illegality and criminal conduct. The guilty verdict involved two felony counts. They could send DeChristopher to prison for as much as 10 years. The case was closely watched by some environmental activists who considered DeChristopher a hero.