Jeff Luers
Encyclopedia
Jeffrey "Free" Luers is an political activist from Los Angeles, California
, who served a ten year prison sentence for arson
in the U.S. state
of Oregon
. On February 14, 2007, The Oregon Court of Appeals
overturned Luers' sentence, instructing the Lane County
circuit court to determine a new sentence. That court reduced the sentence from 22 years, 8 months to 10 years in February 2008, after what The Independent
described as an "international campaign for a more appropriate sentence for a crime in which no one was hurt."
and helped establish Red Cloud Thunder, a group of activists who organized a tree sitting
campaign to stop the clear-cutting of old growth forest
s outside of Fall Creek, Oregon
.
, along with Craig "Critter" Marshall, who was sentenced to five and a half years in prison. Luers might have received a comparable sentence if he had not been convicted of an earlier attempted arson as well. Luers was initially sentenced to 22 years, 8 months in prison. Supporters argued that his sentence was excessive, because no one was injured and property damage was estimated at only $28,000.
The Oregon Court of Appeals
overturned the sentence in 2007, remanding the case to the Lane County
circuit court for resentencing. In February 2008, the circuit court approved a reduction in his term to 10 years, most of which had already been served.
among some radicals, anti-prison activists
, and individuals associated with the Earth Liberation Front
(ELF), although Luers has said that he does not consider himself to be an ELF member.
on Democracy Now!
about a week later and spoke about his sentencing, time in prison, and environmental attitudes. His attorney, Lauren Regan, was interviewed as well
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
, who served a ten year prison sentence for arson
Arson
Arson is the crime of intentionally or maliciously setting fire to structures or wildland areas. It may be distinguished from other causes such as spontaneous combustion and natural wildfires...
in the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
. On February 14, 2007, The Oregon Court of Appeals
Oregon Court of Appeals
The Oregon Court of Appeals is the state intermediate appellate court in the U.S. state of Oregon. Part of the Oregon Judicial Department, it has ten judges and is located in Salem...
overturned Luers' sentence, instructing the Lane County
Lane County, Oregon
-National protected areas:*Oregon Islands National Wildlife Refuge *Siuslaw National Forest *Umpqua National Forest *Willamette National Forest -Government:...
circuit court to determine a new sentence. That court reduced the sentence from 22 years, 8 months to 10 years in February 2008, after what The Independent
The Independent
The Independent is a British national morning newspaper published in London by Independent Print Limited, owned by Alexander Lebedev since 2010. It is nicknamed the Indy, while the Sunday edition, The Independent on Sunday, is the Sindy. Launched in 1986, it is one of the youngest UK national daily...
described as an "international campaign for a more appropriate sentence for a crime in which no one was hurt."
Background
He is a former resident of Eugene, OregonEugene, Oregon
Eugene is the second largest city in the U.S. state of Oregon and the seat of Lane County. It is located at the south end of the Willamette Valley, at the confluence of the McKenzie and Willamette rivers, about east of the Oregon Coast.As of the 2010 U.S...
and helped establish Red Cloud Thunder, a group of activists who organized a tree sitting
Tree sitting
Tree sitting is a form of environmentalist civil disobedience in which a protester sits in a tree, usually on a small platform built for the purpose, to protect it from being cut down...
campaign to stop the clear-cutting of old growth forest
Old growth forest
An old-growth forest is a forest that has attained great age , and thereby exhibits unique ecological features. An old growth forest has also usually reached a climax community...
s outside of Fall Creek, Oregon
Fall Creek, Oregon
Fall Creek is an unincorporated community in Lane County, Oregon, United States, southeast of Eugene/Springfield. Nearby communities include Dexter to the south, Lowell to the southeast, and Jasper to the northwest....
.
Arson and sentencing
In 2000 he set fire to three light trucks at Romania Chevrolet dealership in Eugene as a protest against excessive consumption and global warmingGlobal warming
Global warming refers to the rising average temperature of Earth's atmosphere and oceans and its projected continuation. In the last 100 years, Earth's average surface temperature increased by about with about two thirds of the increase occurring over just the last three decades...
, along with Craig "Critter" Marshall, who was sentenced to five and a half years in prison. Luers might have received a comparable sentence if he had not been convicted of an earlier attempted arson as well. Luers was initially sentenced to 22 years, 8 months in prison. Supporters argued that his sentence was excessive, because no one was injured and property damage was estimated at only $28,000.
The Oregon Court of Appeals
Oregon Court of Appeals
The Oregon Court of Appeals is the state intermediate appellate court in the U.S. state of Oregon. Part of the Oregon Judicial Department, it has ten judges and is located in Salem...
overturned the sentence in 2007, remanding the case to the Lane County
Lane County, Oregon
-National protected areas:*Oregon Islands National Wildlife Refuge *Siuslaw National Forest *Umpqua National Forest *Willamette National Forest -Government:...
circuit court for resentencing. In February 2008, the circuit court approved a reduction in his term to 10 years, most of which had already been served.
Reaction to sentence
Luers has at times been a cause célèbreCause célèbre
A is an issue or incident arousing widespread controversy, outside campaigning and heated public debate. The term is particularly used in connection with celebrated legal cases. It is a French phrase in common English use...
among some radicals, anti-prison activists
Prison abolition movement
The prison abolition movement seeks to abolish prisons and the prison system. The movement advocates for the abolition of prisons and the prison system on the basis of it being ineffective. Prison abolitionists present a broad critique of the modern criminal justice system, which they believe to...
, and individuals associated with the Earth Liberation Front
Earth Liberation Front
The Earth Liberation Front , also known as "Elves" or "The Elves", is the collective name for autonomous individuals or covert cells who, according to the ELF Press Office, use "economic sabotage and guerrilla warfare to stop the exploitation and destruction of the environment".The ELF was founded...
(ELF), although Luers has said that he does not consider himself to be an ELF member.
Mistaken release
On October 2, 2009 Luers was released from prison after being granted another 30% term reduction. Department of Corrections officials assumed he was eligible for early release under a bill enacted that year by the state legislature, but he was not. Luers was taken back into custody within hours.Release in 2009
After serving 9.5 years, Luers was released from prison on December 16, 2009. He was interviewed by Amy GoodmanAmy Goodman
Amy Goodman is an American progressive broadcast journalist, syndicated columnist, investigative reporter and author. Goodman is the host of Democracy Now!, an independent global news program broadcast daily on radio, television and the internet.-Early life:Goodman was born in Bay Shore, New York...
on Democracy Now!
Democracy Now!
Democracy Now! and its staff have received several journalism awards, including the Gracie Award from American Women in Radio & Television; the George Polk Award for its 1998 radio documentary Drilling and Killing: Chevron and Nigeria's Oil Dictatorship, on the Chevron Corporation and the deaths of...
about a week later and spoke about his sentencing, time in prison, and environmental attitudes. His attorney, Lauren Regan, was interviewed as well
External links
- From Tree-Hugger to Terrorist 2002 New York Times article about Luers.
- A support site (Free "Free" Now)
- An interview with Grist Magazine
- Documentary about his story, on youtube website
- Luers Speaks Out in First Interview After 9.5 Years Behind Bars - video report by Democracy Now!Democracy Now!Democracy Now! and its staff have received several journalism awards, including the Gracie Award from American Women in Radio & Television; the George Polk Award for its 1998 radio documentary Drilling and Killing: Chevron and Nigeria's Oil Dictatorship, on the Chevron Corporation and the deaths of...