Son of sheriff's office employee and his friend were 'playing with matches' when they set off fatal wildfire that ravaged the Smokies, killing 14 people

[mystery-ak]

Son of sheriff's office employee and his friend were 'playing with matches' when they set off fatal wildfire that ravaged the Smokies, killing 14 people

    The teenagers, ages 15 and 17, were hiking the Chimney Tops trail in Tennessee on November 23 and tossing matches on the ground The twisted game allegedly set off the devastating fire that killed 14 people and destroyed thousands of homes and businesses
    The two, who are not charged as adults, were identified after another hiker snapped a photo of the boys leaving the spot with a trail of smoke behind them
    The 17-year-old boy is the son of an employee of the Anderson County Sheriff's Office
    The blaze began on November 23 but spread further five days later, when hurricane-force winds hit the area, sending embers to others parts of the park
    That fire grew amid drought conditions and ultimately rode winds exceeding 87 miles per hour into the Gatlinburg area early last week

By Dailymail.com Reporter and Associated Press

Published: 13:10 EST, 10 December 2016 | Updated: 14:53 EST, 10 December 2016

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http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4020498/Son-sheriff-s-office-employee-friend-playing-matches-set-fatal-wildfire-ravaged-Smokies-killing-14-people.html#ixzz4SSya7jFv

[TomSea]

What a malicious act; this is worse than many crimes out there one can think of, Manson family and so on. Who'd ever think it would have ended up killing 14 people?

[roamer_1]

What a malicious act; this is worse than many crimes out there one can think of, Manson family and so on. Who'd ever think it would have ended up killing 14 people?

I have yet to see malice attributed... There is a distinction to be made here, before I would pass judgement - If there is motive and intent, that's one thing. Two dumb kids doing what dumb kids do is another altogether. Tragic, either way, no doubt.

I say that being from a heavily forested area - I know full well about how devastating forest fires can be, and children grow up around here with every sort of education toward prevention. Being local kids, they should have known better. But then, teenagers ALWAYS should have known better...

[TomSea]

I have yet to see malice attributed... There is a distinction to be made here, before I would pass judgement - If there is motive and intent, that's one thing. Two dumb kids doing what dumb kids do is another altogether. Tragic, either way, no doubt.

I say that being from a heavily forested area - I know full well about how devastating forest fires can be, and children grow up around here with every sort of education toward prevention. Being local kids, they should have known better. But then, teenagers ALWAYS should have known better...

The hurricane winds must have done it.

It's fairly moist around the Smokeys, whatever it was they did, it's unforgivable.

Kids usually stop playing with matches before they become teenagers.

[truth_seeker]

They will have to live out their days, knowing they contributed to those deaths.

[roamer_1]

Kids usually stop playing with matches before they become teenagers.

I would not go that far... I remember being fairly close to the age of fifteen when I discovered you can shoot a kitchen match out of a BB gun and get it to strike on impact. Often it will strike with nothing more than the friction of leaving the barrel...

I can remember being on the lean-to roof by our barn shooting matches into the tall grass by the warehouse, and having to get down now and then to stomp out the fires...

There but for the grace of God go I... 

[roamer_1]

They will have to live out their days, knowing they contributed to those deaths.

That much IS true, and I do not mean to lessen that in the least... But if motive is not attached - If they didn't mean to - Is it proper to charge them as adults, and hang a murder charge, and send them off to prison?

[jpsb]

I have yet to see malice attributed... There is a distinction to be made here, before I would pass judgement - If there is motive and intent, that's one thing. Two dumb kids doing what dumb kids do is another altogether. Tragic, either way, no doubt.

I think the family that lost members to a horrible death and those that lost everything they owned might take a different view. Those kids should be charged as adults for killing 14 people. There just is no accountability for criminal acts in the USA any longer. Hell the baker that refuses to bake a cake for a homosexual wedding pays a higher price then these mass murdering teenagers.

[mountaineer]

The article states they're charged with aggravated arson. Some form of negligent homicide would be an appropriate charge, as well.

...Since the two people charged with starting the fire are juveniles, authorities are not releasing their names or ages. Sevier County DA James Dunn said they are from Tennessee, but not Sevier County. 

Dunn said additional charges are possible, and there is the possibility of the juveniles being tried as adults.

"Everything is on the table," Dunn said.

WBIR, Dec. 13

[roamer_1]

I think the family that lost members to a horrible death and those that lost everything they owned might take a different view. Those kids should be charged as adults for killing 14 people. There just is no accountability for criminal acts in the USA any longer. Hell the baker that refuses to bake a cake for a homosexual wedding pays a higher price then these mass murdering teenagers.

To declare one a murderer, one must prove intent... A couple towel-head kids on a mission, intentionally setting fires upwind, is altogether different than a couple kids flicking matches at each other and all that got out of hand - albeit that the result may well be the same. One is done with malice aforethought, the other, a clear matter of negligence. Different things.

[chae]

Well, in our area, a few weeks ago, a group of teenagers were out being stupid in a pick-up truck.  They were jumping hills and going too fast and just being idiots.  They were involved in a single car rollover accident. 
The authorities didn't just say "Aww shucks it was just an accident".  He's being charged with 3 counts of vehicular homicide, 2 counts of vehicular assault.  These 2 teens should face severe penalties.

[roamer_1]

Well, in our area, a few weeks ago, a group of teenagers were out being stupid in a pick-up truck.  They were jumping hills and going too fast and just being idiots.  They were involved in a single car rollover accident. 
The authorities didn't just say "Aww shucks it was just an accident".  He's being charged with 3 counts of vehicular homicide, 2 counts of vehicular assault.  These 2 teens should face severe penalties.

I am not saying they should get a skate. Manslaughter, or negligent homicide, charged as a child, unless there is intent. No one said 'Aw shucks'...

But by the same token, knowing how fast a fire can get out of control, and how unpredictable the results can be, it's pretty tough to reckon. One guy doesn't get his fire all the way out, and burns down 50,000 acres and two FS cabins... The next guy, legitimately burning a field, the wind shifts and comes up, and it gets away, and burns down 20 homes with four deaths. Both instances could be considered negligence (even if they aren't being negligent), both are accidental. How is justice applied fairly?

[TomSea]

At the least, there is likely malice involved in carelessly tossing so many matches, there is some intent, whether that is malice in wanting to kill over a dozen people, I don't know.

Was it 5 or 8 matches? Or did they go through 2 books of matches or something?

I am not saying they should get a skate. Manslaughter, or negligent homicide, charged as a child, unless there is intent. No one said 'Aw shucks'...

But by the same token, knowing how fast a fire can get out of control, and how unpredictable the results can be, it's pretty tough to reckon. One guy doesn't get his fire all the way out, and burns down 50,000 acres and two FS cabins... The next guy, legitimately burning a field, the wind shifts and comes up, and it gets away, and burns down 20 homes with four deaths. Both instances could be considered negligence (even if they aren't being negligent), both are accidental. How is justice applied fairly?

[roamer_1]

At the least, there is likely malice involved in carelessly tossing so many matches, there is some intent, whether that is malice in wanting to kill over a dozen people, I don't know.

Was it 5 or 8 matches? Or did they go through 2 books of matches or something?

I don't see how there is malice at all if they were just playing around - And yes, the intent was to light fires - That is not intending to burn down half a county and kill a bunch of folks.

If these kids planned this outcome, and did it for a purpose, that is a different thing than farting around throwing matches at each other...

Note that this is all speculation - we don't know what they were doing at all at this point.

[Sanguine]

I don't see how there is malice at all if they were just playing around - And yes, the intent was to light fires - That is not intending to burn down half a county and kill a bunch of folks.

If these kids planned this outcome, and did it for a purpose, that is a different thing than farting around throwing matches at each other...

Note that this is all speculation - we don't know what they were doing at all at this point.

That's sorta like saying: "I just wanted to hear the shots; I didn't mean to actually hit anyone."