Jeff Luers

Template:Short description Template:Infobox criminal Jeffrey "Free" Luers is an American political activist from Los Angeles, California, who served a ten-year prison sentence for an arson motivated by environmental concerns. On February 14, 2007, the Oregon Court of Appeals overturned Luers' sentence, instructing the Lane County circuit court to determine a new sentence.<ref>Appeal from Circuit Court, Lane County Template:Webarchive</ref> That court reduced the sentence from 22 years, 8 months to 10 years in February 2008, after what The Independent described as an "international campaign for a more appropriate sentence for a crime in which no one was hurt."<ref>The Battle of Bear Creek: New Threat in Americas Backyard, The Independent, March 5th 2008.</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Arson

The first incident took place in Eugene, Oregon in the United States when Luers and Craig Marshall planted crude delay devices for an attempted arson of trucks at the Tyree Oil Company. The two placed a section of cloth, which was draped over a gallon milk jug filled with a fuel and soap mixture, in the fuel tank of a double-trailer fuel truck. According to authorities, the potential blast could have caused damage over two city blocks.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

On June 16, 2000, he set fire to three light trucks at Romania Chevrolet dealership suspectedly via the use of bombs, in Eugene as a protest against excessive consumption and global warming, along with Craig "Critter" Marshall, who was sentenced to five and a half years in prison. The arson destroyed three pickup trucks including a 2000 Silverado.<ref name=sfgate>Template:Cite news</ref> Luers might have received a comparable sentence if he had not been convicted of an earlier attempted arson as well.<ref name="hug">Template:Cite news</ref> Luers was initially sentenced to 22 years, 8 months in prison.<ref name="RGresentence"> Template:Cite news</ref> Supporters argued that his sentence was excessive, because no one was injured and property damage was estimated at only $40,000<ref name="RGresentence" /><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Luers has at times been a cause célèbre among some radicals, anti-prison activists, and individuals associated with the Earth Liberation Front (ELF), although Luers has said that he does not consider himself to be an ELF member.<ref>An interview with jailed “eco-terrorist” Jeffrey Luers | Grist</ref>

Luers was mistakenly released early from prison in October 2009 after an error calculating his sentence. He returned to prison after visiting his parole officer.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In 2007, the Oregon Court of Appeals overturned his sentence. Leurs left prison in December 2009, after serving almost ten years.<ref>EXCLUSIVE: Environmental Activist Jeff "Free" Luers Speaks Out in First Interview After 9.5 Years Behind Bars | Democracy Now!</ref>

Personal life

Luers identifies as an anarchist.Template:R

See also

• Green anarchism
• Green Scare
• Rod Coronado
• Tre Arrow
• Marius Mason

External links

• [https://www.imdb.com/{{#if: 5190788

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• From Tree-Hugger to Terrorist 2002 New York Times article about Luers.
• Documentary about his story, on youtube website