Criminal charge over tree-chopping

Austin American Statesman ^ | Thursday, July 17, 2008 | Steven Kreytak

[lqcincinnatus]

An Austin developer has been indicted by a Travis County grand jury on a charge of criminal mischief, accused of illegally cutting down a large cedar tree in South Austin last year.

Hunter Wheeler, 36, faces up to two years in prison if convicted of the charge. He declined to comment Wednesday, saying he was not aware of the case. He has previously denied cutting down the tree.

[lqcincinnatus]

This type of local abuse is the seed corn that leads to all the economic problems we are now suffering by not challenging fascist environmentalism. No nuclear power, no drilling onshore, no drilling offshore, no new refineries, environmental blackmail, fascism masquerading as saving the environment (for the children of course), intermittent ravines called navigable waters, fishermen in prison for mislabeling shellfish, remediation blackmail, carbon credits, ethanol credits, etc., etc., etc. It all starts with someone cutting down a cedar tree and being threatened with prison. Soon Atlas may shrug.

[Marie2]

The lady who stole my purse last year got 2 1/2 years. She stole my purse, used my cards, used my drivers license, froze my bank account, defrauded three banks, and took two other people for thousands of dollars.

I repeat, she got 2 1/2 years.

[Carry_Okie]

There is a cure for green racketeering.

[lqcincinnatus]

Bookmarked for further reading.

[mvpel]

If someone took a sledgehammer to your $9,600 automobile parked on the street, wouldn’t you want criminal charges filed? How is it any different because it was someone else’s tree destroyed, instead of someone else’s car?

[brushcop]

A damned cedar tree? Cedar (Juniper in this area, and Austin), is an invasive shrub/tree, cut more of them down, conserve water. My rancher buddies as well as controlled experiements in a TX wildife management area has proven this time and again. The Feds tried gaining control of 88 counties in Central Texas using cedar and two protected birds as their lever, it was halted by an outraged landowner citizenry.

But that’s Austin for you, total tree-hugging greenie, gaia worshiping idiots.

[Americanexpat]

I guess I am not the onlñy one sho finds these kinds of laws stupid. Why should a man have to pay 2 and a half years of his life fo0r a frigging tree? Time for a damn revolt.

[ozzymandus]

It wasn’t his tree.

[calex59]

If someone took a sledgehammer to your $9,600 automobile parked on the street, wouldn’t you want criminal charges filed? How is it any different because it was someone else’s tree destroyed, instead of someone else’s car?

Because the tree didn't cost the owner anything? Because it may not have been someone else's tree? I didn't read all of the article so have no idea whose tree this was but a tree does not equate to an automobile. The tree grew on its own, the car had to be paid for. Piss poor analogy on your part.

[lqcincinnatus]

You don’t sent someone to prison for taking a sledgehammer to a car.

http://www.texaspolicy.com/pdf/2005-04-pp-overcrim.pdf

[Old Professer]

Soliciting???

[Carry_Okie]

My business method patent for a free-market environmental management method was issued just two days ago, seven-years since the application.

There is now a way to help landowners generate standing in environmental litigation between NGOs and government agencies.

[SECURE AMERICA]

Okay let’s see if I got this right.
A taxpaying citizen could be jailed for 2 years for... wait for it.... cutting down a tree.
But an ILLEGAL ALIEN can sneak into this country use a false social security number, abuse our welfare, medical and educational systems to the tune of $10’s of thousands of dollars and our Goverment including both Presidential Candidates do not even recognize them as criminals?

Welcome to America......

[Carry_Okie]

LOL Heck no; it's out of print.

[Graybeard58]

I didn't read all of the article so have no idea whose tree this was but a tree does not equate to an automobile.

On land owned by the city.

[HKMk23]

My business method patent...was issued just two days ago...

CONGRATULATIONS!!! You GOT it!

[lormand]

Travis County and Austin is Texas' little piece of Berkeley California.

I live in the sane, uber-Conservative county just north of Travis County Texas in the city of Cedar Park. We not only chop down cedar trees here (have a few left to cut in my backyard), but used to even have a "Cedar Chopper" festival. The cedar trees here are veracious consumers of water and spew lots and lots of cedar pollen which is a major source of allergy related symptoms.

[Carry_Okie]

Thx, it was a lot of work and expense.

[mvpel]

Likewise, who said he’s going to prison for cutting down a tree? The MAXIMUM penalty is 2 years in prison, when was the last time anyone got a maximum sentence for a first criminal offense, even if it is felony malicious destruction of property or some such?

[calex59]

Ok, so it was public land and he had as much right to it as the next man. There is no such thing as “government land” or “city land” only taxpayers land. So this guy cut down a tree that would never have been sent to a mill to recover it’s dollar value but is expected to spend 2.5 years in prison for it. What a bunch of communist, totalitarian a**hats we have running our country now.