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Occupy activist Cecily McMillan sentenced to three months in prison Occupy activist Cecily McMillan sentenced to three months in prison
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An Occupy Wall Street activist has been sentenced to three months in prison for assaulting a police officer as he led her out of a protest.Cecily McMillan, who had been facing a maximum sentence of seven years, was told on Monday morning by Judge Ronald Zweibel that she "must take responsibility for her conduct"."A civilised society must not allow an assault to be committed under the guise of civil disobedience," said Zweibel at Manhattan criminal court. However, he added: "The court finds that a lengthy sentence would not serve the interests of justice in this case".McMillan, 25, received a three-month sentence to be followed by community service and five years' probation. Having been remanded at Rikers Island jail for the past two weeks, she will receive credit for time served.McMillan was earlier this month found guilty of deliberately elbowing Officer Grantley Bovell in the face at Manhattan's Zuccotti Park in March 2012.Following her conviction, nine of the 12 jurors in her trial wrote to Zweibel, asking him not to send her to prison and to show her leniency. Their letter was followed by similar requests from members of the New York city council and prominent pop musicians. Two members of Pussy Riot, the Russian punk activist group, visited McMillan at Riker's and also wrote to the judge.McMillan's support team also delivered a petition to Zweibel and Cyrus Vance, the district attorney, bearing what they said were 43,000 names of other people asking that she not be sent to prison. An Occupy Wall Street activist has been sentenced to three months in prison for assaulting a police officer as he led her out of a protest.Cecily McMillan, who had been facing a maximum sentence of seven years, was told on Monday morning by Judge Ronald Zweibel that she "must take responsibility for her conduct"."A civilised society must not allow an assault to be committed under the guise of civil disobedience," said Zweibel at Manhattan criminal court. However, he added: "The court finds that a lengthy sentence would not serve the interests of justice in this case."McMillan, 25, received a three-month sentence to be followed by community service and five years of probation. Having been remanded at Riker's Island jail for the past two weeks, she will receive credit for time served.McMillan was earlier this month found guilty of deliberately elbowing Officer Grantley Bovell in the face at Manhattan's Zuccotti Park in March 2012.Following her conviction, nine of the 12 jurors in her trial wrote to Zweibel, asking him not to send her to prison and to show her leniency. Their letter was followed by similar requests from members of the New York city council and prominent pop musicians. Two members of Pussy Riot, the Russian punk activist group, visited McMillan at Rikers and also wrote to the judge.McMillan's support team also delivered a petition to Zweibel and Cyrus Vance, the district attorney, bearing what they said were 43,000 names of other people asking that she not be sent to prison.