Non scrivetemi
2009-06-05 21:38:58 UTC
http://www.latimes.com/news/la-me-oyler-sentenced6-
2009jun06,0,5663757.story
Raymond Lee Oyler has been sentenced to death for starting the
2006 Esperanza fire in the foothills of the San Jacinto
Mountains. The fire killed five firefighters, destroyed 34 homes
and charred more than 41,000 acres.
The jury had recommended the death sentence.
Judge W. Charles Morgan could have sentenced Oyler to death or
life in prison without parole.
Oyler, 38, was convicted March 6 of five counts of first-degree
murder, 20 counts of arson and 17 counts of using an incendiary
device. Prosecutors said the Beaumont mechanic had set fires
throughout the San Gorgonio Pass in the summer of 2006 leading
up to the Esperanza fire on Oct. 26.
Early that morning, he used a combination of matches and a
cigarette to light a fire in a remote area of Cabazon. Gusty
Santa Ana winds drove the flames into the San Jacinto Mountains,
where they reached speeds of 40 mph and temperatures of 1,500
degrees.
A U.S. Forest Service firefighting crew based in Idyllwild was
overrun by flames while trying to save a house. Those killed
were Daniel Hoover-Najera, 20; Pablo Cerda, 23; Mark
Loutzenhiser, 43; Jason McKay, 27; and Jess McLean, 27.
Oyler's trial lasted more than a month, during which jurors were
shown gruesome photos of the dead, some of whom suffered burns
to more than 90% of their bodies. But even after seeing and
hearing the evidence, and after convicting Oyler of first-degree
murder, the jury was hesitant to sentence him to death.
2009jun06,0,5663757.story
Raymond Lee Oyler has been sentenced to death for starting the
2006 Esperanza fire in the foothills of the San Jacinto
Mountains. The fire killed five firefighters, destroyed 34 homes
and charred more than 41,000 acres.
The jury had recommended the death sentence.
Judge W. Charles Morgan could have sentenced Oyler to death or
life in prison without parole.
Oyler, 38, was convicted March 6 of five counts of first-degree
murder, 20 counts of arson and 17 counts of using an incendiary
device. Prosecutors said the Beaumont mechanic had set fires
throughout the San Gorgonio Pass in the summer of 2006 leading
up to the Esperanza fire on Oct. 26.
Early that morning, he used a combination of matches and a
cigarette to light a fire in a remote area of Cabazon. Gusty
Santa Ana winds drove the flames into the San Jacinto Mountains,
where they reached speeds of 40 mph and temperatures of 1,500
degrees.
A U.S. Forest Service firefighting crew based in Idyllwild was
overrun by flames while trying to save a house. Those killed
were Daniel Hoover-Najera, 20; Pablo Cerda, 23; Mark
Loutzenhiser, 43; Jason McKay, 27; and Jess McLean, 27.
Oyler's trial lasted more than a month, during which jurors were
shown gruesome photos of the dead, some of whom suffered burns
to more than 90% of their bodies. But even after seeing and
hearing the evidence, and after convicting Oyler of first-degree
murder, the jury was hesitant to sentence him to death.