Two Earth First! activists were awarded $4.4 million yesterday after a jury found that three FBI agents and three Oakland police officers violated the civil rights of the duo. Darryl Cherney, who remains an Earth First! leader, and Judi Bari, who died of cancer in 1997, were injured in a 1990 car bombing on their way to help organize a protest against logging ancient redwood trees in Northern California. Within hours of the explosion, the FBI and Oakland police arrested the pair, claiming they had planned to use the bomb in an act of eco-terrorism. Cherney and Bari said they had been framed. Six weeks later, the charges against them were dropped for lack of evidence; no one has since been charged in the bombing in the subsequent 12 years. The FBI and Oakland police may appeal the verdict.
