Protesters plead to stalking animal research foes

Associated Press
03/19/10 9:25 PM PDT

LOS ANGELES - An animal research protester pleaded no contest and another pleaded guilty to six criminal charges stemming from allegations that they stalked two University of California, Los Angeles researchers and a juice company executive, authorities said Friday.

Kevin Rich Olliff, 22, entered a no-contest plea Friday to three counts each of stalking and conspiracy to commit the crime of stalking, said Los Angeles County district attorney's office spokeswoman Sandi Gibbons.

Olliff's co-defendant, Linda Greene, 62, made a separate agreement and pleaded not guilty to the same charges a day earlier.

Olliff will be sentenced to three years in prison under his agreement.

In his signed plea agreement, he acknowledged he "engaged in demonstrations targeting specific professors, researchers and business people at their personal residences and at their workplace, including the UCLA campus."

Greene will be sentenced to five years' formal probation. In her plea agreement, she acknowledged being the press officer for the Web site of the North American Animal Liberation Press Office and posted specific identifying information about people engaged in legal animal research.

During her probation she must stay out of animal rights organizations and away from all University of California campuses and the homes, workplaces and schools of all UC researchers, faculty and staff.

The two were indicted last March on charges involving the two UCLA researchers and an executive at POM Wonderful Juice Co.

One of the researchers, neurobiology professor Dario Ringach, later gave up primate research, citing harassment from animal rights activists and concerns for his young children.

The activists targeted POM because they believed the company was using animal experiments to support claims that pomegranate juice could improve erectile function in men with mild impotence problems.

Greene is scheduled to be sentenced on April 9, Olliff on May 12.

Read more at the San Francisco Examiner: http://www.sfexaminer.com/local/ap/plea-deals-for-stalking-for-2-animal-research-foes-88705582.html#ixzz0iy2pyUJG