| The "Minnesota 8" The Minnesota 8 was one part of a larger group, called "The Minnesota Conspiracy to Save Lives," whose members raided Selective Service draft boards in various non-urban areas of Minnesota on July 10, 1970. The FBI arrested eight men in three draft boards - at Alexandria, Little Falls and Winona. One other draft raid was successfully conducted that evening, and one was aborted due to a newly installed alarm system. No one from the successful raid, which included a woman, was ever arrested. Three trials were held from November 2, 1970 through January 18, 1971 in the Minnesota federal district courts in Minneapolis and St. Paul. One of the 8 pleaded guilty, and he received probation. The other seven received the maximum sentence of five years in federal prison. Outlaw or American Patriot? is based upon a post-trial/pre-prison memoir written by Frank Kroncke. It relates the key events and includes trial testimony, dates, etc. Other materials are available at the Minnesota Historical Society. Go to http://mnhs.mnpals.net (search "Author" enter "Kroncke F"). To grasp the tenor and temper of the times, the 8 were arrested on the charge, "Sabotage of the National Defense." This carried a ten year sentence. Bail was set at $50,000.00 each. This despite the fact that they were all first-time offenders, and arrested for an ostensible act of nonviolent civil disobedience. They sweated out a hot July week in Hennepin County until the bail was reduced to $10,000.00 apiece. The 8 were indicted on "interfering with the Selective Service System by force, violence or otherwise." They were convicted of an act of violence, and they received the maximum sentence of five years. All mention of the Vietnam War and any tradition or principles of morality were judged "irrelevant and immaterial." One Judge stated, "You gentlemen are worse that the common criminal who attacks the taxpayer's pocketbook. You strike at the foundation of government, itself." For a quick overview, see two interviews - 01 and 02. And, 2008 "Minnesota Monthly" article "Patriot Acts." Who are the Minnesota 8?
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