conviction in SUV vandalism trial

from Yahoo news
Note he has NO connection with ELF! *********

US eco-arsonist found guilty over SUV attacks

Fri Nov 19, 6:52 PM ET
Science - AFP




LOS ANGELES (AFP) - A US environmental activist faces five years in jail after he was convicted of torching and defacing 125 gas-guzzling sports utility vehicles in a series of fire-bomb attacks.


AFP/File Photo


A jury deliberated for less than a day before finding post-graduate student William Cottrell, 24, guilty of involvement in the strikes on SUV dealerships that destroyed or damaged scores of the expensive cars.



But Los Angeles panel acquitted Cottrell of using a destructive device -- a Molotov cocktail -- during a crime of violence, a charge that would have seen him put behind bars for a minimum 30 years.



Cottrell and two as-yet uncharged conspirators struck four car dealerships and several privately owned vehicles in a wave of so-called eco-arsonist attacks in the Los Angeles area on August 22 last year, prosecutors said.



At least 2.3 million dollars of damage was caused when the vandals attacked 125 vehicles and one commercial building with fire and spray-paint, prosecutors said.



The attackers painted slogans such as "POLLUTER", "SUV=TERRORISM," and "ELF" on the vehicles, sales of which have boomed in the United States despite opposition from environmental groups.



*****ELF stands for Earth Liberation Front, a militant environmental organisation to which Cottrell has insisted he had no link. *********



Cottrell had claimed he was present during the attacks, but said he only spray-painted environmental slogans on the vehicles.



The physics student told the court that he did not know that two friends, Tyler Johnson and Michie Oe, had brought Molotov cocktails on the early morning spree.



Authorities believe that Oe and Johnson have fled the country.



During closing arguments on Thursday, prosecutor Bruce Riordan contended that Cottrell was involved in the arson and graffiti for an "adventure high."



He also cited a statement by Cottrell in which he said that he believed SUV dealers were "evil."



"I submit to you that a man who thinks SUVs are evil ... will go to the limit" in an attempt to destroy them, Riordan told the jury.



Defence lawyer Marvin Rudnick said he was pleased Cottrell was acquitted of the most serious count.



"We're very happy that the jury threw out the 30-year mandatory minimum to life count, so Billy has a future in his profession of physics," he said.



His legal team had claimed their client suffered from a form of autism called Asperger's syndrome that affects understanding of social situations, making it hard for Cottrell to "read" his companion's intentions.



Cottrell was arrested in March after e-mails sent to the Los Angeles Times newspaper talking about the crimes were traced to his email address. Cottrell is due to be sentenced on March 7.

 

my point was the guy IS NOT with or connected to EF!

 

ELF as in the story.

 

Cottrell said IN COURT (as is in the story) that he was NOT ELF.
gee...people say the media gets everything wrong, but people DON'T READ.
to wit:
*****ELF stands for Earth Liberation Front, a militant environmental organisation to which Cottrell has insisted he had no link. *********

all I did was add the asteriks. That is the original text.
While it is true he said that to get the group off the hook, it doesn't come across that way to me.

 

Cottrell said IN COURT (as is in the story) that he was NOT ELF.
gee...people say the media gets everything wrong, but people DON'T READ.
to wit:
*****ELF stands for Earth Liberation Front, a militant environmental organisation to which Cottrell has insisted he had no link. *********

all I did was add the asteriks. That is the original text.
While it is true he could have said that to get the group off the hook, it doesn't come across that way to me.

 

ain't mandatories great? freaking drug war and three-strikes laws.