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Maine Oil Train Protesters Head to Trial

AUBURN, Maine — The trial of two Maine residents who sat on train tracks last year to block a train carrying crude oil will be held this week under unusual circumstances.

The defendants will be tried starting Monday at the same time in the same Androscoggin County Superior Court courtroom, but with different juries.

Prosecutors tell the Sun Journal although most witnesses are expected to testify before both juries, there likely will be times when only one jury will hear testimony specific to a single defendant.

Douglas Bowen Jr. of Porter and Jessie Dowling of Unity are charged with criminal trespassing for blocking the tracks in Auburn in August 2013.

They said they were trying to prevent a disaster in Maine similar to the one in Lac Megantic, Quebec.