Howard Mechanic
Encyclopedia
Howard Lawrence Mechanic was an undergraduate student
at Washington University in St. Louis
who went into hiding for 28 years after being accused of throwing a cherry bomb
at the university's ROTC building during a Vietnam War protest
in May 1970.
Mechanic denied throwing the firecracker. No one was injured, but Mechanic was charged under the Civil Obedience Act of 1968 and sentenced to five years in prison. During his appeal
s, he fled and subsequently lived under the assumed name of "Gary Robert Tredway" in Scottsdale, Arizona
.
His identity as Howard Mechanic became known when he decided to run for office on the Scottsdale City Council in 2000. He was discovered following an interview with reporter Penny Overton of the Scottsdale Tribune, who became suspicious after running a background check
. Mechanic tried to dissuade Overton from publishing the story by falsely claiming that he had leukemia
, but the newspaper published the story anyway. Mechanic turned himself in on February 10, 2000, and was immediately sent to prison to serve out his term. New charges were also filed against him of faking his identity and using a false name to acquire public documents including a driver's license and a passport.
Mechanic received a pardon
from President
Bill Clinton
in January 2001.
Undergraduate education
Undergraduate education is an education level taken prior to gaining a first degree . Hence, in many subjects in many educational systems, undergraduate education is post-secondary education up to the level of a bachelor's degree, such as in the United States, where a university entry level is...
at Washington University in St. Louis
Washington University in St. Louis
Washington University in St. Louis is a private research university located in suburban St. Louis, Missouri. Founded in 1853, and named for George Washington, the university has students and faculty from all fifty U.S. states and more than 110 nations...
who went into hiding for 28 years after being accused of throwing a cherry bomb
Cherry bomb
Cherry Bombs are approximately spherical shaped exploding fireworks, ranging in size from three-quarters-inch to one-and-one-half-inch in diameter...
at the university's ROTC building during a Vietnam War protest
Opposition to the Vietnam War
The movement against US involvment in the in Vietnam War began in the United States with demonstrations in 1964 and grew in strength in later years. The US became polarized between those who advocated continued involvement in Vietnam, and those who wanted peace. Peace movements consisted largely of...
in May 1970.
Mechanic denied throwing the firecracker. No one was injured, but Mechanic was charged under the Civil Obedience Act of 1968 and sentenced to five years in prison. During his appeal
Appeal
An appeal is a petition for review of a case that has been decided by a court of law. The petition is made to a higher court for the purpose of overturning the lower court's decision....
s, he fled and subsequently lived under the assumed name of "Gary Robert Tredway" in Scottsdale, Arizona
Scottsdale, Arizona
Scottsdale is a city in the eastern part of Maricopa County, Arizona, United States, adjacent to Phoenix. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, as of 2010 the population of the city was 217,385...
.
His identity as Howard Mechanic became known when he decided to run for office on the Scottsdale City Council in 2000. He was discovered following an interview with reporter Penny Overton of the Scottsdale Tribune, who became suspicious after running a background check
Background check
A background check or background investigation is the process of looking up and compiling criminal records, commercial records and financial records of an individual....
. Mechanic tried to dissuade Overton from publishing the story by falsely claiming that he had leukemia
Leukemia
Leukemia or leukaemia is a type of cancer of the blood or bone marrow characterized by an abnormal increase of immature white blood cells called "blasts". Leukemia is a broad term covering a spectrum of diseases...
, but the newspaper published the story anyway. Mechanic turned himself in on February 10, 2000, and was immediately sent to prison to serve out his term. New charges were also filed against him of faking his identity and using a false name to acquire public documents including a driver's license and a passport.
Mechanic received a pardon
Pardon
Clemency means the forgiveness of a crime or the cancellation of the penalty associated with it. It is a general concept that encompasses several related procedures: pardoning, commutation, remission and reprieves...
from President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
in January 2001.