BacktoBasics
10-02-2009, 09:38 AM
Totally fucking reasonable.
Monson is being charged with first-degree malicious mischief, a Class B felony with a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a $20,000 fine; $19,000 was reportedly spent on cleaning up the graffiti
BY JEREMY PAWLOSKI | The Olympian
Published October 2, 2009
OLYMPIA, Wash. - Olympia mixed martial arts champion Jeff Monson avoided jail time during his sentencing today for spray-painting anarchist graffiti on the state Capitol and a Lacey armed services recruitment center last year.
Instead, Monson, 38, must serve 90 days of work release while on electronic home monitoring, a punishment that will allow him to work to pay off the $21,894 in restitution Thurston County Superior Court Judge Gary Tabor also ordered as part of Monson’s sentence.
Tabor followed the recommendation of Thurston County Deputy Prosecuting Attorney David Bruneau during Monson’s sentencing.
Monson pleaded guilty in July to first-degree malicious mischief and second-degree malicious mischief for vandalizing the Capitol and the armed services recruitment center as part of a plea deal in exchange for the sentencing recommendation.
Monson’s next bout is scheduled for Dec. 12 in Alabama, where he will fight Travis Fulton.
During Thursday’s court hearing, Bruneau noted that Monson admitted to spray-painting an anarchist symbol on the Capitol in a December 2008 interview in ESPN The Magazine. Bruneau said according to the article, Monson is a “self-proclaimed, avowed anarchist.”
Monson’s attorney, Legrand Jones said in court that he believes Monson’s sentence would not have been as harsh were it not for the fact that his vandalism occurred as an act of political expression, and if not for the fact that Monson is a celebrity in the world of mixed martial arts. Monson, who appeared in court with his wife, has no prior criminal record.
Jones said Monson’s leaving an anarchist symbol and the words “no war” on the Capitol in November was “an act of conscience.”
“They were political acts,” Jones said in court.
Monson said outside court that the vandalism he left at the recruitment center on Galaxy Drive in Lacey in November shut the center down for several days. Monson said he hopes that the closure of the center might have been the time that a young man needed to change his mind about joining the military.
“I’d like to think something good came of it,” Monson said.
Monson was adamant that he hopes his acts of vandalism raised consciousness of the illegality of the Iraq war and immorality of sending soldiers off to die in what he said is an unjust war. He said he does not regret what he did and he is not sorry for it. He added that he agreed to the plea because "they have a gun to my head," speaking metaphorically about the possibility that his freedom could be taken from him if he did not.
When Monson was asked if he would ever commit a similar act in the future, he responded, “I don’t know what’s going to happen.”
Monson is being charged with first-degree malicious mischief, a Class B felony with a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a $20,000 fine; $19,000 was reportedly spent on cleaning up the graffiti
BY JEREMY PAWLOSKI | The Olympian
Published October 2, 2009
OLYMPIA, Wash. - Olympia mixed martial arts champion Jeff Monson avoided jail time during his sentencing today for spray-painting anarchist graffiti on the state Capitol and a Lacey armed services recruitment center last year.
Instead, Monson, 38, must serve 90 days of work release while on electronic home monitoring, a punishment that will allow him to work to pay off the $21,894 in restitution Thurston County Superior Court Judge Gary Tabor also ordered as part of Monson’s sentence.
Tabor followed the recommendation of Thurston County Deputy Prosecuting Attorney David Bruneau during Monson’s sentencing.
Monson pleaded guilty in July to first-degree malicious mischief and second-degree malicious mischief for vandalizing the Capitol and the armed services recruitment center as part of a plea deal in exchange for the sentencing recommendation.
Monson’s next bout is scheduled for Dec. 12 in Alabama, where he will fight Travis Fulton.
During Thursday’s court hearing, Bruneau noted that Monson admitted to spray-painting an anarchist symbol on the Capitol in a December 2008 interview in ESPN The Magazine. Bruneau said according to the article, Monson is a “self-proclaimed, avowed anarchist.”
Monson’s attorney, Legrand Jones said in court that he believes Monson’s sentence would not have been as harsh were it not for the fact that his vandalism occurred as an act of political expression, and if not for the fact that Monson is a celebrity in the world of mixed martial arts. Monson, who appeared in court with his wife, has no prior criminal record.
Jones said Monson’s leaving an anarchist symbol and the words “no war” on the Capitol in November was “an act of conscience.”
“They were political acts,” Jones said in court.
Monson said outside court that the vandalism he left at the recruitment center on Galaxy Drive in Lacey in November shut the center down for several days. Monson said he hopes that the closure of the center might have been the time that a young man needed to change his mind about joining the military.
“I’d like to think something good came of it,” Monson said.
Monson was adamant that he hopes his acts of vandalism raised consciousness of the illegality of the Iraq war and immorality of sending soldiers off to die in what he said is an unjust war. He said he does not regret what he did and he is not sorry for it. He added that he agreed to the plea because "they have a gun to my head," speaking metaphorically about the possibility that his freedom could be taken from him if he did not.
When Monson was asked if he would ever commit a similar act in the future, he responded, “I don’t know what’s going to happen.”