Benjamin H. Sasway, a 21-year-old student from Humboldt State University, last Thursday became the second person in the nation to be convicted of failure to register for the draft since the controversial law took effect two years ago.
Mr. Sasway’s attorneys have said that they would appeal their client’s conviction, challenging the constitutionality of the draft-registration law. He was given four opportunities by the federal government to comply with the draft-registration law, but refused to because he found the law “immoral and incompatible with a free society.”
Mr. Sasway, convicted by a jury of eight women and four men, faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison and $10,000 in fines. U.S. District Judge Gordon Thompson Jr. will sentence him on Oct. 4.
Mr. Sasway was the first of five men--all of whom went out of their way to notify the government of their failure to register--to be indicted by the Justice Department.
Two weeks ago, in a nonjury trial, Enten Eller, a 20-year-old college student, was convicted by a federal judge in Roanoke, Va.
Mr. Eller, who refused to register strictly on the grounds of his religious opposition to war, was sentenced to three years probation and ordered to register within 90 days or face jail and a fine. Like Mr. Sasway, he has refused to do so.
