San Diego Union Tribune Activist Coronado gets year in prison for arson talk By Greg Moran UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER12:57 p.m. March 27, 2008
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/metro/20080327-1257-bn27rod.html


A chastened and – by his own admission – changed Rodney Coronado was sentenced to a year and a day in federal prison Thursday.


The well-known activist and spokesman for animal rights and environmental causes pleaded guilty in December to a charge of demonstrating how to make a destructive device with the intent that someone would commit arson.

The awkwardly worded federal charge stems from a speech Coronado made Aug. 1, 2003 in Hillcrest. In response to a question from the audience, he demonstrated how to make a crude device using an apple juice jug and other implements.


The speech came hours after arsonists destroyed a huge apartment complex under construction in University City. The Earth Liberation Front, a loosely knit radical environmental group, claimed responsibility for the blaze. No one has been arrested or charged, and the fire remains unsolved.

But in February 2006, Coronado was indicted on the demonstration charge. In September, a jury deadlocked on the charge with a majority leaning toward acquittal.


Nonetheless, Coronado later agreed to plead guilty, in exchange for prosecutors not pursuing a charge in Arizona or a similar case stemming from remarks Coronado made at a college in Washington, D.C.


Coronado, 41, told U.S. District Judge Jeffrey Miller on Thursday that he accepted responsibility for his acts and wanted to move on with his life and focus on his family. In 2006, Coronado sent an open letter to the activist community where he said he renounced advocating violent"direct action" on behalf of the movement.


"I love my new life," he said. "I love being a husband. I love being a father." Coronado, who lives near Tucson, Ariz., will have to surrender to prison authorities by May 9.

This is the Rodney Coronado that I know and certainly don't expect honesty and truth from.

http://www.animalrights.net/archives/year/1998/000034.html

Even more telling of his slippery methods of dealing with the law.

I have followed this guy for a long, long time. There aren't many who would make a more formidable foe.

I found this article in No Compromise, (One of ALF's write ups on Coronado) in 2003. Rod's actions before the courts are a lot different then those that he exercises when he thinks he has them hoodwinked.

No Compromise defense of Rod Coronado article:

For nearly a year, there has been much silence, and much confusion, regarding North America's only A.L.F. prisoner Rod Coronado. Worse, numerous damaging allegations against Rod were spread through the animal rights grapevine while he sat isolated in prison, unaware of the charges, and totally unable to respond to them.

The staff at No Compromise want to put an end to these undeserved attacks, and show our full support for Rod Coronado. We would also like to apologize to Rod for not getting to the bottom of this issue sooner. The main rumors against Rod allege his sentencing speech hurt the movement, his legal defense strategy was wrong, and that he eats animals. At NC, we have researched this issue, spoke with all parties involved, and the following are our conclusions.

Some activists condemn Rod's sentencing speech on the grounds that it gives aid to the enemy, and bad-mouths the A.L.F. Rod said many horrible things before being sentenced -- he said the justice system works, he apologized for his involvement with the A.L.F., he said he shed the animal rights movement like he sheds old clothes, and other disgusting comments.

But the key question is, "did he mean those things?" And the answer to that question is absolutely not. Rod was trying to scam the government into reducing his sentence, so that he could be free, and active, as soon as possible. Actions speak louder than words, and Rod's involvement with destroying decades of mink research -- research which helped keep the fur industry financially viable -- defines him more accurately than anything he said at sentencing.


I guess it boils down to ,Just because he lied like a chicken doesn't mean he is a chicken.



Other people denounce Rod for plea bargaining with the government instead of demanding complete discovery, doing a political trial, and utilizing other court strategies. Certainly there are many time-tested and effective court strategies available for arrested A.L.F. activists to use -- and liberators should be informed of those options. But ultimately, the arrested activist should decide how their court situation will be handled. They face the long prison sentence. It's their life on the line. It only makes sense that they should decide how they deal with their legal affairs.

As long as A.L.F. warriors don't incriminate other activists, they deserve our full support regardless of how they handle the courts. Rod took nearly 5 years in prison instead of informing on other A.L.F. activists. His sacrifice should be commended, not condemned. You don't have to agree Rod's decision to plea bargain was the best legal strategy available to him, but you should respect his decision to do what he thought was right.



More like the easier way out was to feign his new desire to be putting ALF behind him. Kinda like the speech he just issued to the courts in the above article.

The last charge against Rod is that he is no longer vegan. Rod confirmed to NC that during his time on the run while living with his native people (Rod is a Yaqui Indian) he infrequently ate food with lard, dairy, and, at one time, also ate deer meat. We make no excuses for these actions. Eating animals is wrong. Period.


Aren't Vegans the most corrupt Nazis??[/COLOR]

Thankfully, these outrageous actions are no longer. Rod now adheres to, and advocates, his people's pre-conquest diet, which is vegan. At NC, we judge people by their present -- not past -- actions. Former vivisectors and cattle-ranchers have been embraced by our movement after accepting our beliefs. And although their former crimes against animals are unforgivable, we manage to forgive them and even fight along side them in the struggle. Rod deserves at least equal treatment.



The Nazi Party alive and well in ALF head quarters. I almost fainted when I read the article stating Rod's pre-conquest ancestors were vegans. The Yaqui tribe classed as vegans at any point in History is to silly to contemplate but ALF loves top create the lies.



Finally, those people who attack a true warrior for the animals like Rod Coronado while he is most vulnerable should be ashamed of themselves. If you have a problem with Rod, contact him. Don't gossip about him behind his back. Get both sides of the story. Facing a long prison sentence is bad enough, to have those who supposedly support you, back-stab you is intolerable.

I could care less myself, but I think Rodney back stabbed ALF when it was his butt on the line and lied to protect his hide from 25 year jail sentence.


No Compromise, calls for an end to the Rod Coronado attacks. Rod is a seasoned activist who has made more sacrifices for the animals than at least 99.9% of the people reading this. His experience with the issues and direct action gives him much insight that we can learn from and the No Compromise staff welcomes Rod onto our team as a regular columnist.

Now that the silence has been broken, and hopefully the confusion laid to rest, it is time to move forward, stop spreading rumors, support A.L.F. prisoners, and achieve total animal liberation!



In my humble opinion it looks to me like Rodney broke all the rules to get into prison. Broke them again to stay out of prison. Broke them again to keep from starving {eating animals,deer even,Shame! Shame!? Tongue placed firmly in cheek as I eat deer myself but am not such a hypocrite that I tell others they shouldn't eat it to. Apparently Rodney is such a hypocrite.



SheeeeesssHHHH, where do these wing nuts find people stupid enough to print the support article for self serving Rod Coronado. Special *insights* shows Rod is a full blown Hypocrite. Astute readers should be very cynical of motive, in this letter??? .

[B]BTW, looks like all the Anti AR rumors about Rod were true! No Compromise, just proved the truth in the rumors. However they wish to whitewash the Coronado character. It does suit their cause, don't you think? To bad the judge didn't read this article and try to understand just how slippery Coronado is.[/B

It is people with minds like this that are infiltrating the schools and trying to obtain a spot in our children's curriculum. Scary stuff.

Formadable huh? At 6'8" and 325 lbs. I can get rather anti-social when riled myself (when asked, my girlfriend said I was kinda like a bear with furniture) Best not catch him on my trap line.

Here in the Smokey Mountains we have a saying, "He'll never hear a footstep and he'll never see a light."

As to these so called "enviromentalist set fires" you might just check the finances of the "victums". May just be more insurance jobs than protests!

Hayden

Formidable in the sense that he is smart, cunning, and believes in what he is doing. Ingrid, Pacelle, and the rest of those morons don't possess the leadership qualities that Coronado does. Any person who can convince another to risk their freedom in the pursuit of his beliefs is not one to take lightly. If he can do it once, he can do it again.

I never trust a leopard claiming to change his spots for the SECOND TIME, because I suspect crocodile tears & crocodile words.[.

San Diego Union Tribune
Animal rights activist tells of regret before sentencing
By Greg Moran
UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER
March 28, 2008
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/metro/20080328-9999-1m28bomb.html

As he spoke to U.S. District Judge Jeffrey Miller yesterday morning,
Rodney Coronado displayed the traits that made him a leader among
animal rights activists.

His resonant voice easily filled the large courtroom, and his remarks
were fluid and unadorned. But this time, Coronado was saying something
far different from what he had said many times in nearly two decades
of urging radical action on behalf of animals and the planet.

Coronado was sentenced to a year and a day in federal prison after
pleading guilty to demonstrating how to use a destructive device
during a speech in Hillcrest in August 2003.

Before Miller sentenced him, Coronado said those days were behind him,
that he wanted to be a family man, a good husband to his wife of eight
months and a father to his two children.

"My life, I see going in a completely different direction," Coronado said.

Coronado, 41, accepted responsibility for his words and said he was
ready to serve his sentence and then "be allowed to move on with my
life."

"I have said and done things in my past which I regret," Coronado
said, adding later that he realized those words could have inspired
others to go out and commit destructive acts in the name of protecting
animals and the environment.

Coronado's past includes serving five years in prison for his
involvement with an arson at a fur research lab at Michigan State
University in 1992.

The activist pleaded guilty in December to a charge of demonstrating
how to make a destructive device with the intent that someone would
commit arson.

The awkwardly worded federal charge stems from a speech Coronado made
Aug. 1, 2003, in Hillcrest. In response to a question from the
audience, he demonstrated how to make a crude device.

The speech came hours after arsonists destroyed an apartment complex
under construction in University City. The Earth Liberation Front, a
loosely knit radical environmental group, claimed responsibility. No
one has been charged, and the fire remains unsolved.

Coronado was in his home in Arizona at the time of the blaze and has
not been linked to it. But in February 2006, Coronado was indicted on
the demonstration charge.

The case was controversial because critics said prosecutors were
punishing Coronado for exercising his free speech rights. In September
2007, a jury deadlocked on the charge.

Coronado later agreed to plead guilty in exchange for prosecutors not
pursuing a charge in Arizona or a similar case stemming from remarks
Coronado made at a college in Washington, D.C.

Miller seemed to accept the sincerity of Coronado's remarks, and his
"rather dramatic change in philosophy and heart." The judge also said
he hoped Coronado would use his talents for speaking to spread the
word of his changed outlook and perhaps persuade others to do the
same.

Mira you know as well as I do that the AR klan will trivialize his words in court and continue to attempt to cement his status as a martyr. I know what he is and you know what he is. The problem is that he can convince an army of lunatics. So yes, he isn't one to take lightly.