New Charges Against Catonsville Nine
Diocesan Press Service. January 27, 1969 [73-23]
BALTIMORE, Md. -- Charges are being brought against the "Catonsville Nine" by the state of Maryland. All nine have been convicted in federal court for destruction of Selective Service records.
The Roman Catholic priests and laymen were found guilty in October and sentenced the following month to federal prison terms. The convictions are under appeal.
The charges grew out of a raid in May, 1968, on a Selective Service office in Catonsville, Md. Files were seized and burned in a nearby parking lot.
Convicted were Father Daniel Berrigan, S. J., his brother Father Philip Berrigan, S.S.J. ,Thomas Lewis, Thomas and Marjorie Melvine, George Miche, David Darst, Mary Moylan and John Hogan.
The federal charges covered destruction of government property, interference with the operation of the Selective Service System and destruction of draft classification files.
The deputy state attorney for Baltimore County, L. Robert Evans, is attempting to expedite Maryland charges, which include violation of a state sabotage act, robbery, assault, larceny, destruction of property and conspiracy.
He has argued that federal convictions do not preempt state statutes. Defense attorneys argue that a state trial would constitute double jeopardy.