Columbus Georgia, 11 SOA Protesters Sentenced to Jail

     The annual SOA Watch Protest held in November of 2007 made the news in Columbus Ga., Fort Benning and a few other places.  Eleven protesters who trespassed onto federal property during the rally were sentenced to jail terms by U.S. District Court Magistrate, G. Mallon Faircloth.  A 76 year old  blind man named Edwin Ross Lewinton was among the defendants sentenced to 90 days in jail.  This was the fourth time that Lewinton had appeared before the court since 2003 and Magistrate Faircloth did offer him the option of 90 days house arrest. Lewinton would not hear of it and responded, "If a blind person were a drug dealer, he would be sent to jail." 

     The SOA Watch Protest is an annual event that has grown in numbers since the School of Americas training program was established at Fort Benning.  Protesters want to change U.S. Policy in Latin America.

Realtor, Columbus Ga