[Mary Braun]'s defense lawyer Ken Wyllie was asking for a three-year community sentence considering his client's age and unprecedented willingness to cooperate. Still, Justice Mark McEwan determined Braun should serve her sentence in prison rather than her Winlaw home because of concerns she may re-offend.

The crown asked Braun be sentenced to six or seven years. Oliver Butterfield also suggested Braun be ordered to pay restitution for the damage caused by the fire and McEwan granted that request fining the woman $200,000 which will go to both the Crescent Valley Community Hall Society and their tenants, Selkirk College.

Colour Photo: Kirsten Stolee Photo / Mary Braun, the 81-year-old Doukhobor Freedomite convicted of arson paused to talk to reporters before being rushed into the [Nelson] courthouse Friday. Braun was sentenced to six years in jail. ;

The 81-year-old Freedomite convicted of arson for burning down a community college in Crescent Valley, may spend the remainder of her life behind bars.

Mary Braun was sentenced to six years in prison Friday in Nelson's Supreme Court.

Braun's defense lawyer Ken Wyllie was asking for a three-year community sentence considering his client's age and unprecedented willingness to cooperate. Still, Justice Mark McEwan determined Braun should serve her sentence in prison rather than her Winlaw home because of concerns she may re-offend.

"The overriding concern in this circumstance must be the safety of the public," he said. "There's an unacceptable risk. She must, in my view, be separated from society."

Braun wouldn't agree to any conditions of house arrest including electronic monitoring or house alarms. She was willing to give her word she'd avoid future destructive behavior and inform her probation officer if she wasn't able to comply but Braun wouldn't sign any statement to that affect.

After appearing naked in court for duration of a two day hearing, Braun was convicted on Aug. 30 of setting fire to the Selkirk College satellite school in Crescent Valley. She was on parole at the time.

The crown asked Braun be sentenced to six or seven years. Oliver Butterfield also suggested Braun be ordered to pay restitution for the damage caused by the fire and McEwan granted that request fining the woman $200,000 which will go to both the Crescent Valley Community Hall Society and their tenants, Selkirk College.

Over the years, the court has tried different ways of dealing with the Freedomite including both harsh and lenient sentences, none of which seemed to deter future acts. Braun has 14 prior convictions and has spent 23 years in prison and 12 years on probation since 1971. She's also burned down two of her own residences.

Braun is a member of the radical Sons of Freedom Doukhobor sect. Members are also known as Freedomites. They have traditionally disrobed and burned possessions as a symbol of renouncing material possessions. They also conduct hunger strikes as a form of protest and are staunchly opposed to war which allows "mass murder."

Possibly the last active member of the radical Doukhobor sect, Braun seemed more concerned with the war against terrorism than the fact she will be spending time in prison.

As Braun was rushed into the courthouse by the Sheriff, she expressed a desire to communicate with media awaiting her arrival.

"I have a lot to say to you people. We're at war you know," she said.

Before Braun was brought to Nelson from the Burnaby Correctional Centre for Women, she was nearly 20 days into a hunger strike "for world peace."

Later in the courtroom when the judge asked her if she had any words before he handed down his sentence she again referred to the war in Afghanistan.

"I am concerned about the world and the condition it's in," she said.

For most of Braun's appearances in the Nelson court her small group of elderly supporters recited the Lord's Prayer in Russian as she undressed.

After sentencing, they expressed concerns for the woman's health. Sam Konkin believes Braun will not be well served by such a harsh sentence.

"I feel the sentence was very harsh for an old woman like Mary Braun," he said. Konkin says he and other Krestova-based Doukhobors had offered to help rebuild the college. "We cannot bring what she did back ... but I don't think the value of the building is worth the life of a person."

Konkin says while Braun appears strong in will, she is weak after many years of hunger striking. He is worried Braun will die in jail, likely from fasting to death.

"I would have liked to see her let go. Mary is honest. If she says she won't be starting fires anymore, she will not do it," he said. "Before we couldn't even get her to agree. She wouldn't even promise us when we went to her many times."

Braun will be likely be eligible for day parole after 1 year and full parole after two.

Credit: Nelson Daily News