Norm was arrested at a protest at a military recruitment office on August 1, 2011. Lancaster County Judge Louis Farina told Norman Edgar Lowry, Jr. that unless he would forswear his nonviolent protest, the court would be obliged to impose the maximum sentence (7 years) for Lowry’s third consecutive arrest at an Armed Forces Recruiting Station in Lancaster.
If only he would make such a promise, the judge implied, his sentence would be much lighter. Did he understand?, the court asked. Yes, Lowry answered. Will you make the pledge? No.