On this day in 1971: FBI head J. Edgar Hoover and U.S. Attorney General John Mitchell announced the arrest of the 20 of the Camden 28, a Catholic anti-Vietnam War group accused of planning a raid on a New Jersey draft board.
Authorities said the 28 planned to break into the draft board offices and destroy all 1A-status draft registrations as a blow to the process through which tens of thousands of young American men were being drafted and sent to fight in Vietnam.
Each of the accused faced seven felony charges and more than 40 years in prison. The 28 turned down an offer to plead guilty to a single misdemeanor charge and instead chose to be tried together.
On May 20, 1973, a jury returned “not guilty” verdicts for all counts against all 28 defendants.
