A federal apeals court overturned William Cottrell's (aka Billy Cottrell), convictions on two counts of arson for his role in the 2003 torching of several sport utility vehicles (SUV) at San Gabriel Valley car dealers, attacks authorities blamed on a radical environmentalist group. The court ruled that the judge in his trial should have allowed testimony regarding Cottrell's Asperger's Syndrome, a disability that could have affected the jury's decision.
Billy Cottrell, a Cal Tech graduate student who took part in a fire bombing spree that caused millions of dollars in damage to SUV dealerships in the San Gabriel Valley, was sentenced to more than 8 years in prison. See inset for chronology of ecoterror events.
Former Caltech graduate student William "Billy" Cottrell was re-sentenced to serve at least 18 more months in prison for participating in a vandalism spree in the San Gabriel Valley in 2003.
William Cottrell's (aka Billy Cottrell), a former Caltech physics student who was in prison for participating in firebombing 100 vehicles in the San Gabriel Valley (Duarte, Arcadia, West Covina) in 2003, will be resentenced. The federal court has dropped arson charges against him but he remains convicted on a conspiracy charge. He could be released or face more prison time.
Authorities say an E-mail unlocked a door into a string of vandalism and arson cases at SUV dealerships and led to the arrest of William Jensen Cottrell.
A profile of William Jensen Cottrell and his attorney Stephen Alexander. Cottrell is the alleged ecoterrorist who spray-painted and torched 133 SUVs in the San Gabriel Valley.
William Jensen Cottrell, ecoterrorist, accused of involvement in the San Gabriel Valley vandalism of SUVs and Hummers, was questioned by the FBI in January.
In William Cottrell's trial, the jury never got to hear evidence about his Asperger's Syndrome. Judge R. Gary Klausner ruled that Asperger's could not be introduced at trial as a legal defense. The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that Klausner's ruling was a mistake and tossed out Cottrell's arson convictions, leaving only the conspiracy count. Last week Cottrell was re-sentenced to the original 100-month term for the conspiracy conviction, after prosecutors declined to retry the arson counts. One reason federal officials declined was because they did not want Asperger's Syndrome established as a viable legal defense.
Cal Tech student William Jensen Cottrell, allegedly connected with an ecoterrorist group in connection with vandalism at Rusnak Mercedes-Benz and other car dealershships in the San Gabriel Valley, was arrested by the FBI.
One year ago, alleged ecoterrorists Connole and Cottrell attacked Rusnak Mercedes Benz in Arcadia and other SUV dealerships in the San Gabriel Valley. The article includes a recap of events since the attack.
New legislation by Chris Chocola would define ecoterrorism and would mandate federal prison time. This bill targets the San Gabriel Valley SUV dealership vandals.
U. S. District Court will unseal the SUV vandalism warrant for the arrest of Josh Connole, a peace activist who was never charged in connection with ecoterrorism in the San Gabriel Valley.
The FBI is tracking vandals who caused an estimated $2.5 million in damage across San Gabriel Valley area sport utility vehicle dealerships. The Earth Liberation Front (ELF) claimed responsibility for these acts of ecoterrorism.
The car dealerships hit by ELF vandalism were back to business on Sunday. Ecoterrorists attacks destroyed 20 Hummers and other SUVs were damaged in the San Gabriel Valley.
25 year old Pomona man, Josh Connole, was arrested in connection with the vandalism and arson attacks on high priced SUVs and Hummers at several San Gabriel Valley dealerships.