El Toro : Charges Are Dismissed in 34 Wincon Arrests

The district attorney dropped charges against 34 anti-nuclear protesters arrested at the El Toro Marine Corps Air Station in an action hailed by activists Tuesday as an endorsement of their movement.

However, Deputy Dist. Atty. Jack Sullens said his decision should not be seen as a precedent. Instead, Sullens said, he decided that justice would not be served by allowing protesters to “use (the courts) as some sort of podium for their views.”

If protesters are arrested at next year’s Winter Conference on Electronic and Aerospace Systems (Wincon), prosecutors will not be influenced by his decision Tuesday, Sullens said. “It’s clear that there was a violation (of law), but one of the decisions we must make is whether justice will be served by pursuing prosecution.”

The 34 were arrested Jan. 27 when they attempted to block vehicles carrying defense contractors and military officials into the conference at the El Toro Marine base.

Marion Pack, executive director of the Alliance for Survival and one of those arrested, said this was the first time cases have been dropped in the five years of Wincon protests.

“It adds a lot of credibility to nonviolent protest,” she said. Protesters arrested in previous years have either gone to jail, paid fines or performed community service work after prosecution, she said.