Eleven Cape Codders and one Plymothian were found guilty on March 21st for trespassing at the Pilgrim nuclear plant. The defendants never denied trespassing to deliver a letter to Entergy, but rather justified their actions with a “necessity defense” – that they were trying to prevent an imminent danger to the public and had no other choice but to enter the Pilgrim site.

Despite the guilty verdict (all 12 defendants received a sentence of time served) the defendants see the trial as a success. The fact that the case made it to trial was beneficial to the group, as they were allowed to present their case and essentially putting Entergy on trial. Many expert witnesses presented testimony on behalf of the defendants, including Senator Dan Wolf, Epidemiologist Dr. Richard Clapp, Duxbury Fire Chief Kevin Nord, Dr. Gordon Thompson (Executive Director of the Institute for Research and Security Studies in Cambridge), among others.

The group – led by the Cape Downwinders – will continue their fight to close Pilgrim.