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.
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.
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.
Caltech graduate Tyler Johnson, who had been identified as a suspect in the firebombing and vandalism of more than 130 sport utility vehicles (SUVs) at automobile dealerships in the San Gabriel Valley in 2003, has died in an avalanche while hiking in the Corsian mountains in France on December 26, 2009. Johnson has been a fugitive for the past six years. Surveillance cameras captured Johnson and William ("Billy") Cottrell spray painting environmental slogans on the cars at Rusnak Mercedes Benz in Arcadia in 2003. Cottrell was convicted.
Attorney Michael Mayock, representing convicted client Billy Cottrell, seeks a verdict reversal for the 2003 fire-bombing of sport utility vehicles (SUV) at a San Gabriel Valley automobile dealership. He says the jury did not know about Cottrell's Asperger's Syndrome, a neurological disorder. Cottrell's prison situation is 'nightmarish.'
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
A judge wants to know why information used to justify the arrest of Josh Connole in connection with ecoterrorism in Arcadia, Duarte and West Covina remains sealed.