University of Virginia Library

Violation Of Law

The federal government, which brought the
indictment against the defendants, charged that
Dr. Spock's press conferences, distribution of
literature on avoiding the draft, and his
counseling of students to return their draft
cards to the government, constituted a violation
of national law.

Included among the dissenting doctor's
co-defendants were Mitchell Goodman, Michael
Ferber, Marcus Raskin, and William Sloane
Coffin, Jr., the chaplain of Yale University.

The activist physician, along with three of
the four other defendants, was found guilty of
the government charges and was sentenced to
two year in prison and a $5000 fine.

Speaking out against the war, Dr. Spock said
"We have lost the ability to see reality in
foreign affairs. When we say an individual has
lost his sense of reality, he becomes psychotic.
He may hurt other people, but he will surely
hurt himself first."