Alleged animal rights vandal released

December 1, 2009
Press Citizen

A Minnesota man jailed for allegedly vandalizing Spence Laboratory at the University of Iowa in 2004 has been ordered released from jail.

Scott DeMuth, 22, was ordered released from jail by U.S. District Court Judge John Jarvey. Jarvey wrote in his order that with DeMuth "the government has failed to demonstrate that the release of the defendant would pose a danger to the community or a serious risk of flight."

Vandals in 2004 released hundreds of animals and caused about $500,000 in damage to psychology department laboratories at the University of Iowa. An FBI agent testified that DeMuth was linked to the break-in, which the Animal Liberation Front claimed responsibility, after a journal and a lock-picking device were seized from his home during an investigation into protests at the Republican National Committee convention in St. Paul, Minn., in 2008.

DeMuth pleaded not guilty Nov. 21 to conspiracy to commit animal enterprise terrorism. Upon his release, he will be placed on house arrest and have to wear a GPS tracking monitor.