Accidental fire-starter furious at punishment

[XemaSab]

Source: SF Chronicle

The penalty for starting one of California's colossal wildfires can be severe - even if it was an accident. Just ask Matt Rupp.

The father of six was recently paroled from the state prison in Vacaville. He served two years with killers and rapists for igniting a fire near Redding by riding a mower over a field of dry grass on a scorching day in 2004.

"I didn't belong" in prison, Rupp, 48, said in his first interview since the fire. "To set a fire, you have to set a fire."

Prosecutors said Rupp ignored warnings not to mow - from neighbors and public-service spots on TV - and told one passer-by, "Go to hell."

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/08/10/MNOI125JRQ.DTL

[aquart]

1. No, he belonged wherever they put dangerous idiots.

Which, come to think of it, is jail.

[Name removed]

2. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[The Croquist]

7. Nice to see you're in a good mood.

It sounds like the guy made a big mistake despite warnings and paid for his mistake with two years of his freedom.

He destroyed 86 houses and damaged many peoples lives due to his negligence. I have no problem taking two years of his life in return. Maybe he should spend less time bitching and more time working so he can pay back the 2.25 million that he owes people in damages.

[Warpy]

4. Yes, but the punishment was excessive

He was a swaggering macho idiot and nobody was going to tell him what to do, he was going to do what he wanted to do when he wanted to do it and damn the consequences.

Well, there were consequences, serious ones, and that had to be recognized.

Still, two years seems a bit excessive. Perhaps six months and a hefty fine might have been more in line.

[alfredo]

16. I heard his lawn has done well in his absence.

[Garbo 2004]

32. According to article he turned down a plea deal of a few months in county jail. n/t

[Warpy]

38. Yes, I replied before I'd finished the article

Once I finished it and realized the oaf had cost a couple of dozen people their homes and still didn't realize he'd done something wrong I was rooting for welding him into a cell and leaving him there until nothing was left but a few bones and a grease spot.

The guy is a terminal asshole who reminds me very much of the Oaf in Office.

[mbperrin]

39. He did turn down a plea deal. As I explain to my students over and over,

most people are actually in jail for blatant and aggressive stupidity.

From the article:


Rupp turned down a plea bargain - a deal that would have landed him in county jail for just a few months.

Rupp took his chances at trial, where Hanna told jurors he mowed a dry field after 1 p.m. on Aug. 11, 2004, a day with temperatures above 105 degrees. The prosecutor said a neighbor drove by and warned Rupp to stop but he replied, "Go to hell."

[JVS]

9. Minimum security would have been more appropriate.

[JerseygirlCT]

28. I agree. nt

[AllHereTruth]

29. Who have we become?

Prosecutors said Rupp ignored warnings not to mow - from neighbors and public-service spots on TV - and told one passer-by, "Go to hell."

This in no way entails 2 years in jail. He was stupid, yes. But years in jail, what kind of a society are we?

[WorseBeforeBetter]

34. Spare me.

We're the type of society that expects some asshole to abide the warnings not to mow weeds in 100+ degree temperatures.

"His attitude," Hanna added, "showed that he was the type of person who was not going to learn from his mistakes. A prison sentence was appropriate."

Rupp's attorneys disagree, saying that although Rupp had a couple of past convictions - including for possessing stolen property - he deserved jail time only. His trial attorney, James Richardson, said the grief of fire victims carried too much weight with the judge.

...

Shasta County Superior Court Judge Richard McEachen scolded Rupp at his sentencing in April 2006 and gave him four years in prison - two for the felony charge and two for a special allegation of arson. As a nonviolent offender, Rupp had to serve half his term before being paroled.

...

Many wish he would apologize.

Nearly 90 homes were lost thanks to that arrogant bastard.

[DBoon]

36. Especially when you live where fire is a real danger

it isn't like these type of fires are a rare and unusual occurance here.

[snooper2]

37. 2 years isn't shit...

If he had been found with 2 quarter bags of weed they would have charged him with intent to sell and distribute- 5-20 years...

[TomInTib]

3. Screw him.

I remember that whole deal.

He is an ass.

[DS1]

5. Did anyone die in the fires?

[The Croquist]

23. Nobody died in the fires

That's why he got 2 years instead of life.

[XemaSab]

25. A lot of houses burned down in the fires

including the house of someone I know. 5 of her cats were killed, and it took her a year to rebuild. :(

[Cheap_Trick]

6. Meanwhile

4,500+ soldiers and 100's of thousands of civilians have been killed and their murderer still walks a free "man".

[AllentownJake]

8. Why are you mowing a field

when the grass is dead? Just curious.

[Demeter]

11. It's a Guy Thing

There is a sub-species of Man, described by the "Get off my lawn" meme, which is beyond all redemption.

I had a gargoyle of a man leap out of hiding, screaming into my open car window that I should never drive on his driveway. I am a newspaper carrier, eking out a miserable living. He wasn't the first one, either. For 17 cents fee, he wanted me to park, climb all the way up to his driveway and front porch, deposit his paper, for which I will guarantee there would be no Xmas tip, and since I am trying to beat a deadline, would probably make the last 10-20 customers on the route get their papers late.

[alphafemale]

14. Did he know how to spell D-R-O-P D-E-A-D?

Just asking.

:hi:

[AllentownJake]

15. I remember delivering papers

The grouchiest bitchiest people were always the worse tippers and sometimes wouldn't tip at all. Do they have the psuedo mail boxes you can require that asshole to get so he has to march to the end of his own drive way.

My newspaper requires them now. You can't get door delivery unless you bribe the guy delivering the papers.

[XemaSab]

26. There was probably tall grass in the field

:shrug:

[depakid]

10. His actions were a textbook example of reckless behavior

He ought to consider himself fortunate; had someone been killed, he'd have been looking at a much longer sentence, and wouldn't have been offered that sweet deal for a few months in county jail.

[hlthe2b]

12. Two years of scrubbing toilets and emptying bedpans...

seems more appropriate... I mean where DO you send someone to make them NOT STUPID?

[Politicalboi]

13. He was warned

So "to set a fire, you have to set a fire" Well he did. He should have stayed in longer than 2 years.

[jwirr]

17. I feel sorry for him but here in Minnesota we have periods we call

no burn which are times of the year that no fires can be lit and we are libel if we do. We are all willing to listen because we want to save our woods.

[XemaSab]

27. We have that rule here too, and this guy ignored it.

And if you set a fire, you're liable for the costs of fighting it, even if it's an accident.

At first I thought it was a good law, but now I have changed my mind.

[petronius]

44. What changed your mind?

I'm not familiar with the law, but it seems reasonable to me - with a caveat that I'd like to see a clause that a preson who took reasonable precautions and was just the victim of bad luck would be off the hook...

[norepubsin08]

18. It's got nothing to do with justice

he got this sentence because he wanted to made the court do it's job and give him a trial...he was punished excessively for exercising his constitutional rights. Happens every time...they throw a deal out at you and then if you don't take and challenge them, they throw the book at you!

[NoodleyAppendage]

19. Tough sh*t, dumbass. Your stupidity could have killed people and led to many losing their homes.

He's a Repuke, I bet. Sounds like he didn't enjoy being someone's "b" on the inside.

J

[La Lioness Priyanka]

20. does everyone know this is a dangerous activity?

i didnt but that could just be because i dont have a lawn

[LiberalFighter]

24. Everyone in the area he was knew it was a dangerous activity.

There were PSAs and he was warned by his neighbors but refused to listen.

[opihimoimoi]

21. seems like a BULLY...they don admit shit and always point to others or make excuses

he is a ME guy..its always about HIM

[natrat]

22. the big fire in yosemite laste week was from some rocket scientist target shooting

[BrklynLiberal]

30. He got what he deserved..for his initial stupidity that started the fire, and for his arrogance in

turning down a plea bargain.

He somehow reminds me of the person who kills his parents and then pleads for mercy from the court because he is an orphan.

[WorseBeforeBetter]

33. "You just don't go out and mow the weeds when it's 106 degrees."

I'm with you--he brought this shit on himself and I have zero sympathy.

[Judi Lynn]

31. Two years locked up with "killers and rapists?" It's a miracle he's not called a killer, himself.

He is damned lucky people were able to avoid being burned up, destroyed, terrorized beyond comprehension, just like all the animals, birds, fish living in the region are burned to death, and can't escape.

Apparently if you're a good old boy everyone's supposed to bow low before you and apologize for any incovenience you may have suffered by being questioned over the devastation you've wrought on the only planet we have.

[Loudmxr]

35. There is one big difference between Rupp and serial killers.

Character witnesses. Have you ever noticed how many people say really nice things about serial killers? "NIce Feller, sorta kept to himself." "Never said much, but he would wave as he went back in his house."
B-)

[WriteDown]

40. How many years are they giving the kid....

who started the last fire. Surely he's seen the don't play with matches warning. Sounds like he's going to have to go away for a long time.

[jmowreader]

41. This guy needs to thank the judge for being so lenient

He's got two priors, so this is his third strike. They tell me that in California, if you've got two priors and you commit a violent crime (arson is definitely a violent crime), they can put you in prison for the rest of your life. So why did THIS guy get paroled after two years?

[bermudat]

42. He must have been white.

[LostinRed]

43. He was offered a plea deal

I don't know if any of you read the article or not before protesting the "extreme" punishment. If he took the plea, he would have only done a few months in county. Sounds like he was arrogant and un-remorseful thats why he got two years.