The Kings Bay Plowshares 7 anti-nuclear activists received the decision Friday evening from a federal magistrate denying their motions to dismiss the charges, including their motion under the Religious Freedom Restoration Act. The seven defendants, all Catholics, had testified with expert witnesses during their November 2018 evidentiary hearings and waited fourteen weeks for the final decision. There is still no trial date set. Their statement follows.

“On April 4, 2018, we went onto the Kings Bay naval base, the largest nuclear submarine base in the world, to make real the prophet Isaiah’s command to beat swords into plowshares.  We were charged with three felonies and a misdemeanor which carry a maximum penalty of over 20 years in prison.

“We immediately filed motions to dismiss the charges. We argued in detail that all nuclear weapons are both immoral and illegal.  The commandment Thou Shall Not Kill applies to us individually and to our government.

“On April 26, 2019, U.S. Magistrate Benjamin Cheesbro issued an 80-page report recommending our motions to dismiss be denied.   We now have 30 days to appeal his decision to US District Court Judge Lisa Godbey Wood.

“In response to our use of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act as a defense, the court found our cause is a legitimately religious one and that our faith is sincere. Magistrate Cheesbro concluded, however, that imprisoning us for up to 20 years is not a coercive response to our faith-based actions, but that even if it is, such imprisonment is the government’s least coercive response. Obviously all of us and thousands more have been praying and protesting outside of military bases. We think when the government is prepared to launch weapons which can destroy all life on earth, we must do more.

“We are already working on our appeal and look forward to appearing before Judge Wood.

“We realize the struggle to rid the world of nuclear weapons is an uphill one. We look forward to continuing to live our lives in a quest for peace and justice.

“For a copy of the decision and copies of our statements to the court and our legal motions please go to: https://www.kingsbayplowshares7.org/impact.”