Convicted ‘eco-terrorist’ freed after 9 years amid claims FBI hid evidence

[Omaha Steve]

https://animalliberationpressoffice.org/NAALPO/


NYT coverage here: http://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/09/us/man-convicted-of-environmental-terrorism-wins-early-release.html?_r=0


http://www.sacbee.com/news/local/crime/article5641188.html

BY DENNY WALSH AND SAM [e-mail]
01/08/2015 1:09 PM 01/08/2015 9:59 PM

Until this week, the federal government officially considered Eric Taylor McDavid a threat to the nation, a radical eco-terrorist who plotted to bomb or torch the Nimbus Dam, a U.S. Forest Service lab and cellphone towers in the Sacramento region.

The former college student and house-framer from Foresthill was so dangerous that, after a 10-day trial in Sacramento in 2007, he was sentenced to nearly 20 years in federal prison in a case touted by the FBI as a shining example of its success in fighting domestic terrorism.

Then, the government changed its mind, conceding that thousands of pages of evidence that should have been given to McDavid’s defense attorney years ago – including love notes to a young woman who turned out to be an FBI plant – had instead been secretly held in an FBI file in Sacramento until recently. The best course of action, the government ultimately decided, was to set McDavid free.

The result was an extraordinary hearing in federal court Thursday morning in Sacramento, during which a judge ordered McDavid released from custody after demanding answers from prosecutors about how such a lapse could have occurred.

Read more here: http://www.sacbee.com/news/local/crime/article5641188.html#storylink=cpy



Eileen and George McDavid, right, join in an embrace of their son Eric along with his sister Sarah McDavid, left, and girlfriend, Jenny Esquivel, outside the federal courthouse in Sacramento. A judge ordered Eric McDavid released Thursday after federal prosecutors agreed to a settlement and admitted that thousands of pages of evidence were withheld from the defense during McDavid’s original trial. JOSÉ LUIS VILLEGAS [e-mail]

[dixiegrrrrl]

1. Wonder how big the lawsuit will be?

Not to mention the loss of credibility for the FBI and the law that can railroad people into oblivion.

[brentspeak]

2. The deal mandated that McDavid waive any future civil suits n/t

[dixiegrrrrl]

3. You serious?

The guy was kidnapped. framed, locked up and could only get out if he waived his right to sue?????

Did he get a gag order too?

[Hassin Bin Sober]

7. That's about the size of it.

Normally, extortion like that is illegal. Not so much when the government does it.

[progressoid]

4. Yay! Justice!

Er...no...the exact opposite of justice.

[MisterP]

5. well, I'm sure Rick Berman and Penn & Teller will be crossing this incident of their lists of doom

http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Rick_Berman
http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Penn_and_Teller:_Bullshit!

right after my checks from Rames Randi and Ken Ham clear and James O'Keefe signs off on the honesty of my community activist org! *sits eagerly by mailbox*

[Octafish]

6. Funny how the FBI calls peaceful people ''terrorists''...

Ask Judy Bari....and the suspected terrorists ''innocent until proven guilty''....ask Coleen Rowley.