Protesters Win Court Ruling

Protesters Win Court Ruling

On October 6, the Michigan Supreme Court ruled that a judge had exceeded his authority in imposing unlimited jail terms to stop a series of anti-nuclear protests from 1983 to 1984 near Walled Lake, Michigan. The original judge had held the protesters in contempt of court when they refused to state in court that they would obey an injunction prohibiting the protests. The protests, organized by Covenant for Peace in Lansing, focused on the Williams International Corporation which manufactures cruise missile engines near Walled Lake. Repeated protests and arrests at the site between 1 984 and 1 985 resulted in the issuance of a permanent injunction against future protests. However the protests continued and when protesters refused to promise to stay off the site they were held in contempt and given open-ended jail sentences. In the 4-3 decision the majority wrote, "The mere intent to act in violation of a court's order can not be punished as contempt." The protesters plan to continue weekly vigils and blockades at the site.