Berrigan to Appeal Contempt Sentence
Peace activist Philip Berrigan was freed from jail Friday while he appeals a five-year contempt sentence handed to him by a judge he accused of Nazi-like actions in court.
District Judge James N. Vaughan, who sentenced the 68-year-old former Roman Catholic priest on Thursday, released him on his own recognizance Friday.
Vaughan had refused to allow eight activists arrested Dec. 5 at a physics laboratory to talk about weapons research they say is conducted there. Berrigan, in court to support the eight, refused to apologize for telling the judge that his action was similar to those of judges in Nazi Germany in the 1930s.
After his release, Berrigan was unrepentant. “I would do it again,” he said. “Even people charged with homicide have the opportunity to offer a statement at sentencing.”
Vaughan declined to comment.
Berrigan and his brother, Father Daniel Berrigan, a Jesuit priest, were activists during the anti-Vietnam War movement and were arrested many times.
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