David Fine
Encyclopedia
David Sylvan Fine is an American
domestic terrorist who was one of four perpetrators of the August 24, 1970, Sterling Hall bombing
on the campus University of Wisconsin–Madison
, in an act of political protest to the University's research efforts on behalf of the United States armed forces
. The bomb destroyed the building, killing one person and injuring three. Fine spent six years on the run after the incident.
, the second of two children in middle-class family. He attended the Wilmington Friends School
, a private Quaker-run school. He enrolled at the University of Wisconsin-Madison beginning in the fall of 1969. At the university, he was reporter for the student newspaper, The Daily Cardinal, and earned above-average grades in his freshman year—the only year he was in attendance.
on May 4, 1970, in which four protesters were shot and killed by the Ohio National Guard
, Fine, along with brother Karleton and Dwight Armstrong
and Leo Burt
conceived of an attack on the Army Mathematics Research Center at the University of Wisconsin, which had been a frequent site of anti-War protests. At age 18, Fine was the youngest of the four. Karleton made a bomb out of dynamite, 100 gal of fuel oil and 1700 lbs of ammonium nitrate fertilizer.
The bomb was placed in a stolen van left next to Sterling Hall, a building that housed the Army Mathematics Research Center, as well as the university's physics department. They lit the fuse after checking the windows of Sterling Hall and seeing no activity, assuming that the building was empty. The bomb detonated at 3:42 AM on August 24, 1970, killing Robert Fassnacht
, a physics post-doctoral researcher who was working late, injuring three others, and causing millions of dollars in damage to the building. Fine and the other three then drove to a truck stop where they celebrated the bombing. When they heard a news report on their car radio that someone had been killed by the explosion, all four went on the run.
on January 7, 1976. On June 8, 1976 he pled guilty to two felonies in federal district court: conspiracy and unlawful flight to avoid prosecution. On the same day, he also pled guilty in Dane County Wisconsin Circuit Court to charges of destruction of property and to murder in the third degree for causing the death of Robert Fassnacht
.
He was sentenced to a total of seven years in prison on the federal charges and received a sentence in the state court of seven years; the two sentences were to run concurrently. Fine was paroled on August 15, 1979 and remained on parole for approximately three additional years.
As of August 2010, Fine is married and works as a paralegal
in Portland, Oregon
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
domestic terrorist who was one of four perpetrators of the August 24, 1970, Sterling Hall bombing
Sterling Hall bombing
The Sterling Hall Bombing that occurred on the University of Wisconsin–Madison campus on August 24, 1970 was committed by four young people as a protest against the University's research connections with the US military during the Vietnam War...
on the campus University of Wisconsin–Madison
University of Wisconsin–Madison
The University of Wisconsin–Madison is a public research university located in Madison, Wisconsin, United States. Founded in 1848, UW–Madison is the flagship campus of the University of Wisconsin System. It became a land-grant institution in 1866...
, in an act of political protest to the University's research efforts on behalf of the United States armed forces
United States armed forces
The United States Armed Forces are the military forces of the United States. They consist of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Coast Guard.The United States has a strong tradition of civilian control of the military...
. The bomb destroyed the building, killing one person and injuring three. Fine spent six years on the run after the incident.
Early life and education
Fine was born in Wilmington, DelawareWilmington, Delaware
Wilmington is the largest city in the state of Delaware, United States, and is located at the confluence of the Christina River and Brandywine Creek, near where the Christina flows into the Delaware River. It is the county seat of New Castle County and one of the major cities in the Delaware Valley...
, the second of two children in middle-class family. He attended the Wilmington Friends School
Wilmington Friends School
Wilmington Friends School, the oldest existing school in Delaware, is a preschool through 12th grade Quaker school in Wilmington, Delaware. The school was founded in 1748 by members of the Wilmington Monthly Meeting of Friends ....
, a private Quaker-run school. He enrolled at the University of Wisconsin-Madison beginning in the fall of 1969. At the university, he was reporter for the student newspaper, The Daily Cardinal, and earned above-average grades in his freshman year—the only year he was in attendance.
Sterling Hall bombing
In response to the Kent State shootingsKent State shootings
The Kent State shootings—also known as the May 4 massacre or the Kent State massacre—occurred at Kent State University in the city of Kent, Ohio, and involved the shooting of unarmed college students by members of the Ohio National Guard on Monday, May 4, 1970...
on May 4, 1970, in which four protesters were shot and killed by the Ohio National Guard
Ohio National Guard
The Ohio National Guard comprises:* Ohio Army National Guard* Ohio Air National Guard-External links:* compiled by the United States Army Center of Military History...
, Fine, along with brother Karleton and Dwight Armstrong
Dwight Armstrong
Dwight Alan Armstrong was an American anti-Vietnam War activist who was one of four persons involved in the August 24, 1970, Sterling Hall bombing on the campus University of Wisconsin–Madison, in an act of political protest against the University's research efforts on behalf of the United States...
and Leo Burt
Leo Burt
Leo Frederick Burt was indicted in connection with the 1970 Sterling Hall bombing at the University of Wisconsin–Madison campus, which killed Robert Fassnacht, a physics researcher, and injured several others...
conceived of an attack on the Army Mathematics Research Center at the University of Wisconsin, which had been a frequent site of anti-War protests. At age 18, Fine was the youngest of the four. Karleton made a bomb out of dynamite, 100 gal of fuel oil and 1700 lbs of ammonium nitrate fertilizer.
The bomb was placed in a stolen van left next to Sterling Hall, a building that housed the Army Mathematics Research Center, as well as the university's physics department. They lit the fuse after checking the windows of Sterling Hall and seeing no activity, assuming that the building was empty. The bomb detonated at 3:42 AM on August 24, 1970, killing Robert Fassnacht
Robert Fassnacht
Robert E. Fassnacht was a physics post-doctoral researcher who was killed by the bombing of Sterling Hall on August 24, 1970 on the University of Wisconsin–Madison campus....
, a physics post-doctoral researcher who was working late, injuring three others, and causing millions of dollars in damage to the building. Fine and the other three then drove to a truck stop where they celebrated the bombing. When they heard a news report on their car radio that someone had been killed by the explosion, all four went on the run.
Life as fugitive, capture, trial and imprisonment
Fine was eventually captured in San Rafael, CaliforniaSan Rafael, California
San Rafael is a city and the county seat of Marin County, California, United States. The city is located in the North Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area...
on January 7, 1976. On June 8, 1976 he pled guilty to two felonies in federal district court: conspiracy and unlawful flight to avoid prosecution. On the same day, he also pled guilty in Dane County Wisconsin Circuit Court to charges of destruction of property and to murder in the third degree for causing the death of Robert Fassnacht
Robert Fassnacht
Robert E. Fassnacht was a physics post-doctoral researcher who was killed by the bombing of Sterling Hall on August 24, 1970 on the University of Wisconsin–Madison campus....
.
He was sentenced to a total of seven years in prison on the federal charges and received a sentence in the state court of seven years; the two sentences were to run concurrently. Fine was paroled on August 15, 1979 and remained on parole for approximately three additional years.
Later life
After his release, he earned a college degree at the University of Delaware and a law degree at the University of Oregon. In 1987, after passing the Oregon Bar exam, Fine was denied admission to the Bar on the grounds that "he had failed to show good moral character." Fine appealed the decision to the Supreme Court of Oregon which upheld the decision. In the court's decision it was written:He has not shown himself to be a credible person and did not establish that he now has the good moral character required to practice law. We base our decision on applicant's present statements about his past acts. We recognize that persons can and do reform. However, in this case applicant's deceitful, self-serving conduct persisted at the time of the hearing.
As of August 2010, Fine is married and works as a paralegal
Paralegal
Paralegal is used in most jurisdictions to describe a paraprofessional who assists qualified lawyers in their legal work. This is true in the United States and many other countries. However, in Ontario, Canada, paralegals are licensed by the Law Society of Upper Canada, giving paralegals an...
in Portland, Oregon
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
.