Spokane Man Guilty In Military Protest

A Spokane man who protested at the School of the Americas in Columbus, Ga., was among 22 people found guilty of criminal trespassing charges Wednesday.

Mead Middle School teacher Paddy Inman and 21 other people were each sentenced to six months in prison and a $3,000 fine.

The Rev. William J. Bichsel of Tacoma was also arrested.

Inman was among 601 protesters arrested at a November demonstration at the school, claiming it teaches assassination and subversion techniques to Latin American soldiers.

Inman, who has taught in the Mead district for 28 years, is on an unpaid leave of absence.

The military says the institution, which moved to Fort Benning from Panama in 1984, is largely responsible for the growth of democracy in Latin America and teaches its students about human rights.

, DataTimes