Anti-Nuke Activists Freed from Prison After Convictions Vacated

"Democracy Now!" airs weekdays at 9 a.m. PT on KCET.

Three peace activists who infiltrated a nuclear weapons site have been freed from prison after their convictions were overturned.

In 2012, the self-described Transform Now Plowshares broke into the Y-12 nuclear facility in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. Known as the "Fort Knox of Uranium," the complex holds enough uranium to make 10,000 nuclear bombs. The activists cut holes in the fence to paint peace slogans and threw blood on the wall, revealing major security flaws at the facility, which processes uranium for hydrogen bombs. The break-in sparked a series of congressional hearings, with The New York Times describing it as "the biggest security breach in the history of the nation's atomic complex."

The three were convicted of damaging a national defense site. After two years behind bars, a federal appeals court recently vacated their convictions, saying the prosecution failed to prove the three intended to "injure the national defense."

All three were released this weekend until their resentencing on a remaining charge of damaging government property. They have likely already served more time than they are set to receive under their new sentencing.

"Democracy Now!" is joined by two of the activists -- Sister Megan Rice, an 85-year-old Catholic nun, and Michael Walli -- as well as their attorney, Bill Quigley.

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