Halliday pleads guilty in UT (SL Tribune)‏
Sent: July 27, 2010 4:12:02 PM
The Salt Lake Tribune
Animal-rights activist pleads guilty to contempt charge
By Pamela Manson
July 27, 2010
http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/news/49996288-78/halliday-contempt-farm-grand.html.csp The founder of an animal-rights group pleaded guilty Tuesday to
contempt of court for refusing to testify about attacks on mink farms.
Jordan Halliday admitted he disobeyed an order by U.S. District Judge
Tena Campbell to testify before a grand jury.
Halliday is slated to be sentenced Oct. 19 by U.S. District Judge Ted Stewart.
The offense of contempt of court is unique: It’s neither misdemeanor
nor felony and there is no maximum punishment set by law. Stewart has
the right to impose whatever sentence he believes is appropriate.
While Halliday was entering his plea inside the federal courthouse in
downtown Salt Lake City, a dozen supporters demonstrated quietly in
front of the building.
They held signs that said “Grand Juries Failed
Justice” and “Support Jordan Halliday.” Justin Leaming said his friend had been put in an unfair situation
where he faced punishment whether or not he made an appearance before
the grand jury.
Halliday was indicted last year on the contempt charge, which stemmed
from his appearances before a federal grand jury on March 4 and March
13 of 2009. The panel was investigating the release of hundreds of
minks at the McMullin farm in South Jordan in August 2008; the release
of minks at the Lodder farm in Kaysville in September 2008; and an
attempt to damage the operations of the Mathews mink farm in Hyrum in
October 2008.
Prosecutors say Halliday either responded with “no comment” to most
questions or involved a Fifth Amendment right against
self-incrimination to innocuous questions.
Two men, Alex Jason Hall and William James Viehl, were charged in
connection with attacks at the McMullin and Mathews farms. They
pleaded guilty to the mink release at the McMullin farm and Hall was
sentenced earlier this year to 21 months in prison and Viehl to 24
months.
pmanson@sltrib.com
The owner of the mink ranch is the real victim, not Jordan Halliday. That is the lesson that must be taught to the ARA criminals.