Michael Foster Sentencing

It was in a season of record-breaking hurricanes and wildfires that a Minnesota judge wrote the groundbreaking opinion allowing Emily Johnston and Annette Klapstein to argue the necessity of shutting down tar sands pipelines. If 2017’s storms and infernos made the crisis more palpable than ever before, perhaps in 2018 climate reality will begin to register in the criminal justice system. If so, Michael Foster and Leonard Higgins, both denied the necessity defense and convicted of felonies, will receive lenient sentences. A wide range of outcomes is possible—there are no minimum penalties—and we can only hope the character and motivations of these men will be recognized.

Michael will be sentenced for shutting down Keystone on February 6th in Cavalier, North Dakota, and Leonard will be sentenced for shutting down Spectra Express on March 20th in Fort Benton, Montana. We’ll keep you up to date on social media and in the press during sentencing.