Student charged with firebombing SUVs

[Frohickey]

Student charged with firebombing SUVs

LOS ANGELES, California (Reuters) -- A 23-year-old graduate student has been indicted for firebombing or vandalizing 125 sports utility vehicles in the Los Angeles area last summer, prosecutors said on Wednesday.

William Cottrell, who was denied bail by a federal judge during a brief court appearance, faces more than 70 years in prison if he is convicted on all nine counts, U.S. Attorney's spokesman Thom Mrozek said.

An attorney for Cottrell, who was arrested earlier this month, could not be reached for comment on the indictment, which was handed down late on Tuesday and made public on Wednesday.

According to the indictment, Cottrell, a graduate student studying physics at the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, and "other known and unknown co-conspirators" went on a spree of firebombing and vandalizing sports utility vehicles in August of last year.

(continued)

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Picture of the accused.

 

[srobert]

Good intentions, bad actions. He went destructive when he could have gone constructive.

By the way, he should have killed someone instead of vandalizing. This way he would'nt be risking as much prison. (Sarcasm... by the way)

 

[Sun Baked]

By the way, he should have killed someone instead of vandalizing. This way he would'nt be risking as much prison. (Sarcasm... by the way)

But if he had killed 125 SUV drivers in a serial murder spree, he'd probably be facing the death penalty right now.

(Sarcasm expanded) Just wish he would have gone after the yuppie BMW drivers instead.

 

[Mr. Anderson]

Sad waste of a life....23 and 70 years to go....obviously he wasn't thinking too clearly.

D

 

[bousozoku]

But if he had killed 125 SUV drivers in a serial murder spree, he'd probably be facing the death penalty right now.

(Sarcasm expanded) Just wish he would have gone after the yuppie BMW drivers instead.

(Sarcasm twisted)
Naw, better to go after the Pontiac drivers who envision themselves as yuppie BMW drivers.

 

[wdlove]

That is very sad that he used his education at the California Institute of Technology for evil. Now we may have lost for ever his contribution if he had decided to be productive.

 

[MongoTheGeek]

Sad waste of a life....23 and 70 years to go....obviously he wasn't thinking too clearly.

D

Don't count on the 70. Don't expect anything close to that. Its probably a handful of arson counts at 5-10 years a pop. If he does the time consecutively he could be out in 5. With appeals and all he might only get the time served.

The Sierra Club will probably get him a lawyer.

 

[FriarTuck]

Here's hoping he rode back to jail in a Suburban.

 

[Frohickey]

That is very sad that he used his education at the California Institute of Technology for evil. Now we may have lost for ever his contribution if he had decided to be productive.

Um... I don't think CalTech has classes in Firebombing 101.

We did not lose anything. He is the one that decided to throw it away. There are plenty of others that can take his place.

 

[JesseJames]

Here's what sound he'll make in the prison shower:

http://www.tomandjerryonline.com/sounds/ow.wav



By the way, how do you get sound effects into the alert sounds roster in System Preferences?

 

[MontgomeryBurns]

REFUSE & RESIST

If you have to do the time, don't regret the crime.

 

[zamyatin]

Here in LA I remember the original attacks in the news. Some of the dumbadze pundits were calling it "terrorism." People truly can be sheep.

Thanks to the increasing use of SUVs and too much reliance on cars generally, most residents of LA can look forward to asthma, lung cancer and heart problems due to the smog.

I wish there were some positive action individuals could take to reduce SUV and automobile addiction. I think his actions have only injured his cause.

 

[Apple Hobo]

What a loser

This guy thinks he's doing something good for the environment by torching cars? I wonder what kind of environmentally friendly fumes these give off when torched:

Car paint
Rubbers
Plastics
Interior textiles
Gasoline
Motor oil
Battery acid
Engine coolant
Transmission fluid
Air conditioner "juice"

Multiply the above by 125 and add the total to the other vehicles torched by other environazis. Now take a deep breath of fresh air!

Yeah, this guy is doing the environment a favor by torching cars. Saving the environment is a good thing. Destroying the environment while thinking you're saving it is a bad thing.

Here's what sound he'll make in the prison shower:

http://www.tomandjerryonline.com/sounds/ow.wav

 

[Frohickey]

I think the 'terrorism' label is an accurate statement.
What is terrorism anyway? Is it just limited to people hijacking planes, or ships? Or is it limited to blowing people up in busses?

Terrorism (n) - The unlawful use or threatened use of force or violence by a person or an organized group against people or property with the intention of intimidating or coercing societies or governments, often for ideological or political reasons.

 

[jsw]

I think that most people who commit arson, destruction of property, etc. in the name of the environment are simply criminals who use that as an excuse.

Good environmentalists work within the system, or at least target Bush Republicans.

 

[Frohickey]

I think what this guy should have done is get together with other like minded people, and go protest the SUV dealerships. Form a picket line in the public sidewalk. Or form a picket line in front of the SUV factory while union labor tries to walk in.

 

[jsw]

I think the 'terrorism' label is an accurate statement.
What is terrorism anyway? Is it just limited to people hijacking planes, or ships? Or is it limited to blowing people up in busses?

Terrorism (n) - The unlawful use or threatened use of force or violence by a person or an organized group against people or property with the intention of intimidating or coercing societies or governments, often for ideological or political reasons.

Absolutely correct!

Although I'm not sure this guy intimidated anyone (forgot the original news coverage) so much as he just went on an SUV-in-the-dealer-parking-lots rampage. In any event, hopefully they can get some anti-terrorist law to pin on him and lock him away forever.

 

[jsw]

I think what this guy should have done is get together with other like minded people, and go protest the SUV dealerships. Form a picket line in the public sidewalk. Or form a picket line in front of the SUV factory while union labor tries to walk in.

Or, say, work for Toyota or GM or whomever and get the hybrid engines out sooner.

Hybrids can raise SUV mileage to 40+ mpg. Seems like a better thing for a physics guy to work on than firebombs. See Technology Review article.

 

[Frohickey]

Or, say, work for Toyota or GM or whomever and get the hybrid engines out sooner.

Hybrids can raise SUV mileage to 40+ mpg. Seems like a better thing for a physics guy to work on than firebombs. See Technology Review article.

Physics guy would know nothing about getting the hybrid engines out sooner.

A mechanical engineer, or automotive engineer would be the person you want. Physics guy would be the one to write books and articles about bits and pieces. The ME would be the one that put these things together to make a real thing you can use. Of course, we are forgetting about the ID person that is gonna make life a living hell for the ME saying he things like "Could you make a car that doesn't have wheels that touch the ground? I hate it when I run over a pile of dog poop, and it stinks up my garage."

 

[Foxer]

Here in LA I remember the original attacks in the news. Some of the dumbadze pundits were calling it "terrorism." People truly can be sheep.

Thanks to the increasing use of SUVs and too much reliance on cars generally, most residents of LA can look forward to asthma, lung cancer and heart problems due to the smog.

I wish there were some positive action individuals could take to reduce SUV and automobile addiction. I think his actions have only injured his cause.

There is.. don't buy one.

Even with the onslaught of SUV's, the air quality in LA is many times better than it was in 1970's.

My only problem with SUV's are that most people who buy them don't know how to drive them. They think they're still in that Accord they traded in.

In summary, all I can is ... Godd*mned eco-terrorists.

 

[MongoTheGeek]

Absolutely correct!

Although I'm not sure this guy intimidated anyone (forgot the original news coverage) so much as he just went on an SUV-in-the-dealer-parking-lots rampage. In any event, hopefully they can get some anti-terrorist law to pin on him and lock him away forever.

I disagree. Punishing people for their motivations for the actions is wrong and bad and all shades of not nice. Charge him with arson and destruction of private property and risking a catastrophe and all of the other laws that go along with it. Nail him to the wall for it but don't go putting motivations on trial.

 

[Frohickey]

I disagree. Punishing people for their motivations for the actions is wrong and bad and all shades of not nice. Charge him with arson and destruction of private property and risking a catastrophe and all of the other laws that go along with it. Nail him to the wall for it but don't go putting motivations on trial.

I guess that means you are also against hate crime legislation, eh?

What you just said was the same thing the people against hate crime legislation were saying, but their arguments were tossed out by the emotionalism of the other side.

 

[MongoTheGeek]

I guess that means you are also against hate crime legislation, eh?

What you just said was the same thing the people against hate crime legislation were saying, but their arguments were tossed out by the emotionalism of the other side.

Yep. Its criminalizing wrong think.

I think I will change my sig again. maybe just add it. "Legalize wrong think!"

I know its the same arguments. I would be extremely amused if someone backs hate crime legislation but doesn't think terrorists should be punished more extremely.

 

[Mantat]

Could someone tell me why you need an SUV when you live in a city?

Its just for the freaking look and powertrip...

These vehicules are such a joke and the marketing around them is ridiculous! I dont know a SINGLE person who as a SUV that does camping or goes in the wood with it.

 

[richland]

Could someone tell me why you need an SUV when you live in a city?

Some people use them to tow things(boats, 4-wheelers, motorcycles, ect.) as well as kids.