September 19, 2011
Department of Justice
United States Attorney William C. Killian Eastern District of Tennessee
ANTI-NUCLEAR PROTESTOR SENTENCED TO EIGHT MONTHS IN PRISON
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- Michael Walli, 62, an anti-nuclear protestor convicted of trespassing over the Y-12 national security complex boundary, was sentenced today by U.S. Magistrate Judge H. Bruce Guyton, to serve eight months in federal prison. Walli, along with 12 other co-defendants, was charged with entering the property of the National Security Administration (Y-12 National Security Complex) located in Oak Ridge, Tenn., on July 5, 2010, willfully and without authorization. Walli, along with his other co-defendants, entered the property after a lawful anti-nuclear protest held adjacent to the Y-12 facility. Walli was found guilty after a three-day jury trial on May 11, 2011.
U.S. Attorney Bill Killian stated, “While the United States recognizes the legal right to protest, when overzealous protestors violate the law, they will be prosecuted.”
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jeff Theodore and Melissa Kirby.
