Comments about ‘Prosecutors oppose DeChristopher's defense’

Civil disobedience? What a crock! Civil disobedience would have been organizing a sit in or something to that effect, this is outright fraud. Basically a loan was made that was not honored. If he wants to save the land get a group together to buy the rights legally and then don't allow any development on the lands you hold the rights to.

"...listen to another American citizen say, 'I'd rather go to jail than see that land sold,' " Yengich said."

So stop wasting everyone's time, plead guilty and go to jail.

The leases have been withdrawn to serve the national interest. The charges against DeChristopher should also be withdrawn.

He is not being charged with being a wacko environemental nitwit (which is NOT a crime)!

He is charged with fraudulent participation in a fully legal land lease auction.

Save the theatrics and emotional baggage and junk science for your cellmates. Hope "Bubba" is interested in that sort of stuff.

I think it was a very poor decision but also is a waste of court and tax payer dollars to put this guy on trial. For what? just so he can give his global warming talks and hope to get on the news for it. Putting him in jail again, just costs us more dollars. We should not have to pay for one idiot who chose to break the law in order to get some media attention promoting his agenda.

In Utah, conservative can not only defy the law by driving ATV's in closed areas. They can flaunt their total disregard for the law in the media without fear of prosecution. You can defile graves and steal cultural artifacts and never see a day in jail.

If you defend our environment against leases that were pushed through with no thought about the environment you are prosecuted and threatened with imprisonment.

simple enough Yengich.....tell your client to pay the millions or go to Jail....this clown is another Bernie Madoff!

so laws only apply if you don't believe in global warming? It's so sad to see what has become of this once great nation.

Apparently the judge has already ruled on this case before hearing it: "I'm reluctant to open my courtroom to a lengthy hearing on global warming and environmental concerns when this is a case based on simple criminal actions."

If they are "simple criminal actions" as the judge says, then he has already ruled, in his mind, that the land sale was legal and ethical in the first place. Since there is no room in his mind for questioning the egregious land sale, the case is closed... without a trial and without a jury.

Congratulations to the conservative simpletons on this comment list. The judge agrees with you! There is no need to hear evidence before making a punitive and hateful ruling on the actions of a true American hero.