DA Won’t File Criminal Charges against 10 Linked to Tea Fire

» sbnative wrote on 02.13.09 @ 09:07 PM

What a sham. What - aliens landed and stoked the dwindling bonfire? Give me a break. This is PC BS. And everyone knows it. To those who lost their homes I offer sincere condolences. Justice will not be yours. Not that it would do much good in this case anyway… But handing down stronger sanctions might have DETERRED FUTURE FIRESTARTERS. This way we all lose. Except the lucky 10.

» B. wrote on 02.14.09 @ 04:29 AM

I lost my home of 23 years in the Tea Fire. I thought I was willing to forgive these young people but now that I’ve read this article I’m not sure I can. This outcome seems very, very inadequate and I’m saddened by it.

» selectivejusticeinsb wrote on 02.14.09 @ 05:52 AM

MJ - I didn’t know that our justice system operated in such a way that proof beyond a reasonable doubt had to be provided BEFORE a trial - I thought that’s what the process of a trial was about - a way for all the evidence to be heard, a way for those accused to face their accusers, a way for people to come to terms with what was done, how, why, and determine then how to move forward.  How many times do we hear reports of a trial where the accused “showed no remorse” and it angered people - sometimes resulting in a stiffer sentence?  These students don’t have to sit and face our community, they’ve been shielded for some reason. They’ve yet to make a public apology - whether the fire was an accident or not.  It is BS and I am really sorry for our community and especially for all those within it that have suffered such losses due to the idiocy of some young adults.

» John Locke wrote on 02.14.09 @ 07:40 AM

Those who lost homes can pursue civil suits where the burden of proof is not as severe.  The names are now public record.

» Art wrote on 02.14.09 @ 07:59 AM

Since the Sheriff and the DA have decided that these 10 weren’t the responsible ones, I certainly hope that they are CONTINUING TO LOOK FOR THE GUILTY PARTIES!
Or do they just stop now and say that they’ve done all they need to do for appearance sake?

» Moarts51 wrote on 02.14.09 @ 09:18 AM

These are kids with a lifetime ahead of them and I am glad no criminal charges were filed, However, I do wish the DA had put Community Service into the sentence.  These kids need to learn about responsibility and I would think they should ALL be working up in those hills helping the people rebuild their homes. And it should be in effect until all those who lost homes are back under their own roofs. That’s a lesson they could all learn.

» WHERE are the names? wrote on 02.14.09 @ 11:54 AM

IF the names are now public record.. why did this paper not publish them??  Who are you protecting?

[Editor’s note: I’m sorry. Did our story not explain that? In the sixth paragraph?]

» Jay Ballou wrote on 02.14.09 @ 02:28 PM

@SBNATIVE

“What - aliens landed and stoked the dwindling bonfire?”

The campfire occurred between midnight and 4 AM. The Tea Fire broke out after 5:30 PM. The causal link is not straightforward; lots of other things happened in between. As the article says, investigators could not establish beyond a reasonable doubt that no other fires had been set during that time frame.

“Give me a break. This is PC BS.”

PC?? What the heck are you talking about? That seems to be your response whenever someone disagrees with you.

“And everyone knows it.”

What everyone knows is that professional criminal arson investigators are much better judges of these things than ignorant hotheads.

@TAILHACKER

“They should let a jury decide if the evidence is beyond a reasonable doubt. “

If the DA has reasonable doubt, they cannot legally or ethically argue to a jury that there is no reasonable doubt.

“Their names and information were all over every paper in town the next day. Why are these “young people” getting a free ride?”

Try reading the article, which explains why their names were withheld. Since they are in the public record, you’ll be seeing them soon enough.

@SELECTIVEJUSTICEINSB

“MJ - I didn’t know that our justice system operated in such a way that proof beyond a reasonable doubt had to be provided BEFORE a trial”

How hard is it to understand that, if the *DA* has reasonable doubt, they cannot argue to a jury that there is none?

“I thought that’s what the process of a trial was about - a way for all the evidence to be heard”

So, how about we pick up some random person off the street, and present before the jury all the evidence? The fact is that the DA’s office needs evidence that *they* find convincing in order to put someone on trial.

“a way for those accused to face their accusers”

Facing accusers is a right of *the accused*, not of the accuser. We don’t live in the dark ages when anyone accused of a crime is put on trial.

“a way for people to come to terms with what was done, how, why, and determine then how to move forward.”

No, that most certainly is not what the justice system is for.

@Doug Crawford

“Suspects are not criminals.”

Indeed; that is the bedrock of our justice system.

@ART

“Since the Sheriff and the DA have decided that these 10 weren’t the responsible ones”

They didn’t decide any such thing. The only thing they decided is that they can’t *prove beyond a reasonable doubt* that these 10 are responsible. I’m sure the DA *strongly suspects* they are responsible, as do we all, but that isn’t enough LEGALLY, and we are a nation of LAWS.

Please, people, be good citizens—learn the basics of our justice system.

» Nick wrote on 02.14.09 @ 06:36 PM

Questions remain in Tea Fire - D.A. Stanley says evidence doesn’t show who was to blame ...

What a joke this DA.

We are going to see if Santa Barbara news press is doing the right investigation job to find if there is any contact and/or connection between the family of one student and the DA or SBPD.

Why SBPD is not using water torture to find who is responsible? I think it’s what they are/were doing sometimes against innocent victims… But here nothing… what a joke..

We should now stop criticizing african countries, there is no liberty of expression and work for the press in SB. I’m also pretty sure that the DA called the SB newspress to not have any picture of the students in front of the press like we had for the contractors…we’ll see

Hopefully in 1, 5 or 10 years, we will learn what really happened and who had enough power and money to scare the DA and SBPD to go further in the investigation.

What a poor city and country…no liberty and freedom for the journalists

» Laszlo wrote on 02.15.09 @ 04:46 AM

It may not seem like “justice” to some, but it’s the right thing to do - or not do.
It would cost an extraordinary amount of $ to try to prosecute when there is not enough evidence for a case.

» the names are public information wrote on 02.15.09 @ 09:52 AM

I say lets run them out of town!

» Sweet deal for Prince wrote on 02.16.09 @ 06:20 AM

Wonder what Prince promised the Council just a few years back when he was hired?  Certainly not that he would cash in his sweet deal just a few years into the gig. Also, would be interesting to know what they paid him for ‘relocation’

» John Q wrote on 02.16.09 @ 02:07 PM

I am surprised AP has not sued the district attorney to release the names of those involved.

» Orlando wrote on 02.17.09 @ 06:44 AM

If no outside influence was a part of the DA’s decision making process, then why have the names not been published?  Never have I heard of such attempts to keep the names from the public.  There’s got to be some “connected” folks involved.  We’ll see when the names are finally published.

[Editor’s note: Noozhawk’s Lara Cooper was at the Courthouse when it opened this morning, the only reporter there. We’ll have our story posted later this morning but not before we confirm a few things.]

» A Friend wrote on 02.17.09 @ 10:00 PM

It hurts me to see people responding to this in such a childish manner.
As someone who was severely impacted by the fire, I fully understand how traumatic the experience was, and although I thankfully did not lose my stuff, I know many who did and am currently dealing with the whole rebuilding situation.
However, I am also a close friend with one, and friends with the rest of the tea fire ten. I personally know each and every one of those students, who for the last few months have expressed to me numerous times how terrible they felt, how worried they were, how they are willing to take responsibility if the DA decided it was their small bonfire that began the tea fire. I personally witnessed them reading comments like the ones left here who label them as ignorant, stupid, reckless, detestable. People who feel like they have some “inside information” that wasn’t released anywhere else (tailhacker- just where did anyone find “still burning logs in an old garbage can”? The bonfire was not held in a garbage can. And long time resident- where did you hear that this was some sort of all night drinking party? Not once has any authority claimed they suspected alcohol was involved.)

And on that note, long time resident also claimed that these suspects were probably rich white college kids. Well let’s break this down. Rich: who gives you the right to say what sort of financial state these students are in? You have no idea what these students are dealing with in regard to money, and to call them rich is ignorant speculation. White: Four of those accused are not caucasian, and although the other six may pass for caucasian, you have no idea where they are actually from or what race they consider themselves. College kid: Well, you finally got one right! But this has been public knowledge for months. Nothing ground breaking there.
And to tie up long time resident’s tirade, he or she voices hope that “the victims of the fire form a “class action” group and go after the families of the pyromaniacs in civil court for everything they’re worth, and more.” I’m not even sure where to begin with this. But, please, take a moment and read this out loud. You have to laugh at how ridiculous you sound! These people are not pyromaniacs, and you sound like you’ve come straight from the old west movies, claiming the tea fire victims should go after the families of those accused.

And to bring the attention to the wise “the names are public information”, “I say lets run them out of town”... again, are you sure you haven’t just come straight from an old western movie? What year is this? 2009? Because by the way some people feel they must resort to an antiquated “law system” of running someone out of town, it definitely doesn’t feel like 2009.

I am grateful to the few who have upheld the DA’s decision, such as Doug Crawford and Shane Shark. Thank you for taking the facts at face value, and not reading anything extra into the equation.

I really hope that before anyone else wants to write some brash, hurtful comment, realize that those same people you’re bashing will be reading this. Along with their friends, their families, their loved ones. Your ignorant and unnecessary comments do nothing but make you look ridiculous, as well as hurt people who have already been through more stress than you can even begin to imagine these last few months. These 10 people are not just reckless idiots. Yes, they made a mistake. Yes, they recognize that they will be punished for their mistake (they aren’t looking to avoid punishment). However, the punishment needs to fit the crime. The DA, who has more experience than any of us writing on here in this field, found there was not enough evidence to try them for the fire, so why are people still assuming it must have been them? There were other reports of people going up there. It’s not an uncommon hike, nor is this the first bonfire I’ve heard of up there.

Punish the guilty, but as the tea fire 10 have not been charged with the fire, please stop putting a wrong and unnecessary punishment on them.