Damn Kids Caused the ChimneyTop2 Fires

[Tennessee Viking]

http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/j...ed-14-44041906

Authorities on Wednesday charged two juveniles in an East Tennessee wildfire that killed 14 people and destroyed or damaged more than 1,700 buildings in an iconic tourism spot at the foot of the Great Smoky Mountains.Officials offered few other specifics about how they think the two started a fire that leveled buildings into charred scraps, carving a deadly path through the Gatlinburg area.
People scrambled in terror to try to flee on foot or drive out of the inferno that often cloaked them from all sides, shooting hot embers through the winds. Some spent days hoping for good news about their missing loved ones. Many learned they would soon be planning funerals.
The juveniles face aggravated arson charges in the fire in the Chimney Tops area of Great Smoky Mountains National Park on Nov. 23. That fire grew amid drought conditions and ultimately rode winds exceeding 87 miles per hour into the Gatlinburg area early last week. Authorities have not yet announced a dollar amount on the damaged caused by the wildfire.
The two are being held in the Sevier County juvenile detention center.
"Our promise is that we will do every effort to help bring closure to those who have lost so much," said Tennessee Bureau of Investigation Director Mark Gwyn.
The juveniles are from Tennessee, but not Sevier County, where the fires spread. Otherwise, officials said state law prevents releasing more information about them.
Karyssa Dalton, a 19-year-old whose grandmother Pamela Johnson remains missing in the blaze, said the two should be held accountable, even though they're young.
"I mean, what if somebody came through their town, and set their town on fire, and lost their loved ones, and lost all their homes?" Dalton said. "It's not fair."
Great Smoky Mountains National Park Chief Ranger Steve Kloster said the public was "critical" in offering investigators information through a tip line. Previously, the National Park Service said it believed the fire was human caused, and set up a tip line for people to call if they hiked that trail on Nov. 23, or knew anyone who did.
The investigation is ongoing and more charges could come. It's also possible that the case could be transferred to an adult criminal court, said local District Attorney General James Dunn.
The juveniles are entitled to a detention hearing within 72 hours in which a juvenile court judge will decide to hold them without bond, hold them with bond, or release them, Dunn said.
Dunn constantly said everything was "part of the investigation" when asked for details.
Asked if others could be charged in the fire, Dunn repeated that "everything's on the table."
"We don't know," he said.
On Wednesday, Gatlinburg residents and business owners were allowed to move back into homes and establishments permanently. They had been allowed to visit during daytime hours since last Friday.
The city is slated to open to the public on Friday morning. Though swaths of the city were decimated, the main downtown strip appears to have been spared.

[johnnybgood]

They should be sentenced to years of hard labor cleaning up the devastation caused by their stupidity.
Also paying retribution to business owners and private citizens who lost everything.

[Dogwood]

Let's see how Tennessee justice Sevier County style plays out.

Hope it's not you are only entitled to use your electronics for 4 hrs each day and it's only two Oreos rather than five. Rehabilitation could require dressing up in Smokey the Bear costumes handing out "You can Prevent Forest Fires' pamphlets in July at GSMNP.

[Lugnut]

14 people died. That was murder. Try accordingly.

[johnnybgood]

14 people died. That was murder. Try accordingly.

Likely Manslaughter 1st Degree .

[MuddyWaters]

They should be exterminated

[soumodeler]

As much as I want a lifetime jail sentence, my idea is a permanent job on the inmate wildfire crew, where they have to go to every fire if they are not currently working on one. And if there are no fires, the Smokey Bear costume sounds like a good idea...

[Slo-go'en]

They should be exterminated

Intent is a large part in it. If the fire was maliciously set with the intention of doing damage, that's one thing. If it was couple of kids having a campfire which got out of control, that's another. Either way, there needs to be repercussions, but how sever they are depends on the circumstances, the tragic results not withstanding. We won't know which way it goes for a while.

[illabelle]

According to the news conference I watched, they're being charged with "aggravated arson." That isn't equivalent to "stupidity". There's no amount of community service or other "rehabilitation" that comes close to being satisfactory. If they're guilty, I hope the State of Tennessee builds an airtight case and these two little angels get the lifelong confinement they deserve.

[tdoczi]

14 people died. That was murder. Try accordingly.

murder, by definition, means intent to kill. no intent to kill. no murder. how much destruction was caused, how many people died, how angry you and everyone else is doesnt change that. its a good thing we dont succumb to mob rule justice in this country.

they should be all means by chrged with and tried for the crimes they committed, but murder snt on'e of them, sorry. go channel your anger elsewhere.

[illabelle]

Nobody is suggesting mob rule justice. We're angry. We need to vent. Once the facts are known and proved beyond reasonable doubt, I trust (and I believe most others trust) the criminal justice system of Tennessee to mete out the correct punishment.

murder, by definition, means intent to kill. no intent to kill. no murder. how much destruction was caused, how many people died, how angry you and everyone else is doesnt change that. its a good thing we dont succumb to mob rule justice in this country.

they should be all means by chrged with and tried for the crimes they committed, but murder snt on'e of them, sorry. go channel your anger elsewhere.

[Feral Bill]

murder, by definition, means intent to kill. no intent to kill. no murder. how much destruction was caused, how many people died, how angry you and everyone else is doesnt change that. its a good thing we dont succumb to mob rule justice in this country.

they should be all means by charged with and tried for the crimes they committed, but murder snt on'e of them, sorry. go channel your anger elsewhere.

Killing someone in the commission of a felony is murder in most states. Sometimes used in charging drunk drivers. As for these two, we know nothing about them, except they're under 18. Lets leave justice to the courts, shall we. This is still the USA, no?

[tdoczi]

Killing someone in the commission of a felony is murder in most states. Sometimes used in charging drunk drivers. As for these two, we know nothing about them, except they're under 18. Lets leave justice to the courts, shall we. This is still the USA, no?

some felonies, not all of them. arson is one of them often but would be more applicable to setting a building you knew to be full of people on fire even though you didnt intend to kill anyone. its a stretch to apply that concept to people dying 10 miles away from the scene of the crime and with the extenuating circumstances of drought and 90 MPH winds.

at the risk of starting a crazy tangent, drunk driving laws are notoriously incongruous with most other legal concepts. i won't go into the reasons why this ths, but google "the DUI exception to the constitution" its a real thing legal scholars debate.

[bigcranky]

Lets leave justice to the courts, shall we. This is still the USA, no?

Um, we have a long history of mobs going down to the courthouse, dragging the suspect out, and lynching him. (I am NOT suggesting that in this case, just pointing out that the rule of law hasn't always been ideally followed.)

[FrogLevel]

Um, we have a long history of mobs going down to the courthouse, dragging the suspect out, and lynching him. (I am NOT suggesting that in this case, just pointing out that the rule of law hasn't always been ideally followed.)

Thank goodness that doesn't happen in this day and age.

As someone from East Tennessee I want to see justice in the courts. Lets see all the facts first and then deal out an appropriate punishment.

[gracebowen]

If teenagers means actual minors how about a little mercy. 13 to 15 year olds dont understand as much as older teens. Even if they sat the fire on purpose they are too young to fully understand the cinsrquences. I wish the courts could punish the parents too. 18 or 19 years old ok be a little harsh.

[Dogwood]

Kudos to the authorities who pursued the investigation. Thank you for your service.

[imscotty]

murder, by definition, means intent to kill. no intent to kill. no murder. how much destruction was caused, how many people died, how angry you and everyone else is doesnt change that. its a good thing we dont succumb to mob rule justice in this country.

they should be all means by chrged with and tried for the crimes they committed, but murder snt on'e of them, sorry. go channel your anger elsewhere.

Actually, to be charged with murder does not necessarily mean you had intent to kill. You can be charged with murder for 'depraved indifference' or for deaths in the commission of a felony (Felony murder). Deaths in an arson (even if you did not mean to kill anyone) can be charged as a felony murder. I do believe.

Take this with a grain of salt, I am not a lawyer, I am just playing one on the internet.

[shelb]

When my 22 year old cousin was knocked down by a 19 year old, stomped on and repeatedly kicked in the head by 4 other 19 - 22 year olds until he went into a coma and died, his mother insisted the perpetrators needed to be found and face their actions - her words: "They need to face up to what they did in order to be able to live their lives and make my son's death mean something."

On trial, one of the five (the one who knocked my cousin down) pled guilty and ended up speaking with the mom in private, apologizing for his actions. Her response? She told him he had to deal with the consequences - but THEN, make a difference with his life - make sure her son's death was not in vain... She also asked the judge to not sentence the young man to serve time - but rather to sentence him to community service which she would complete with him... (Note: judge gave him a year in jail.... but gave the other four up to 15 years...).My cousin, obviously, is a saint (I would have wanted the dude strung up by the b@lls); however, her message is a good one: these kids need to make a difference with their lives. They need to make those people's deaths not be in vain...

If interested in my cousin's story, look up a special ESPN did on the 19 year old who was involved: ESPN White Tiger.

[tdoczi]

Actually, to be charged with murder does not necessarily mean you had intent to kill. You can be charged with murder for 'depraved indifference' or for deaths in the commission of a felony (Felony murder). Deaths in an arson (even if you did not mean to kill anyone) can be charged as a felony murder. I do believe.

Take this with a grain of salt, I am not a lawyer, I am just playing one on the internet.

see, f you havent already, my second post.

in any case, my more broadly stated point was "what they did resulted in death, charge them with murder" is skipping a whole lot, to put it mildly, and is a knee jerk overreaction borne of anger.

and at the risk of that same sort of tangent again- a lot of our more recent laws allowing people to be charged with more and more crimes in more and more circumstances are really just the same concept carried out legislatively.