Ecoterror Suspect Commits Suicide in Jail

AP ^ | Dec 22, 7:33 PM EST | AP

[stocksthatgoup]

PHOENIX (AP) -- An Arizona bookstore owner charged in the firebombing of a government wildlife lab in Washington committed suicide in his jail cell Thursday, officials said.

William C. Rodgers, 40, of Prescott, Ariz., suffocated after placing a plastic bag over his head while in a one-person cell in Flagstaff, the Coconino County medical examiner said.

Rodgers was one of six people arrested earlier this month in connection with ecoterror attacks in Oregon and Washington in recent years.

He was accused of setting fire to the Agriculture Department's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Services facility in Olympia, Wash., in 1998.

Federal court documents last week said Rodgers had been linked to a meeting of Earth Liberation Front members in western Colorado where the firebombing of a Colorado ski resort, one of the costliest ecoterror crimes in the U.S., was planned.

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[Darkwolf377]

Exxxxxxxcellent!

[Right Wing Assault]

I hope he recycled that bag - you know, environment and all..

At least it's a good way to recycle an 'activist' (former).

[george76]

[NaughtiusMaximus]

I have been a citizen of Coconino County (Flagstaff, AZ) for more than 30 years. Flag and Prescott used to be a quiet and pretty little Western towns until they were overrun by mopes like this jerk.

IMHO the reason Rodgers offed himself wasn't for a "noble" cause like the environment, it was because of the large pile of kiddy porn the Feds found when they searched his apartment. The seizure of this material was reported in the Flagstaff newspaper of record, the Daily Sun. These charges were undoubtedly being held in reserve until he had faced the ecoterror ones. Now, of course, they will never be aired for the amusement and edification of his ELF buddies.

How did this character manage to off himself in his cell with a plastic bag provided by his jailers? Why was he transferred out of Prescott, (capital of Yavapai County) which has a Federal Court, to Flagstaff (capital of Coconino County)? Let's see . . . Flagstaff discontinued its mental health services to the jail so there was no professional screening on intake. MH services, they say, will be resumed sometime in the future.

Trust me, there's a lot which goes on in Coconino County which, perhaps, it's better not to know about. But come and visit us: the county went 60% for Kerry, smokers are not welcome and are just about outlawed, you can attend our Gay Pride in the Pines Festival, plus you can pay our truly exorbitant Bed,Board and Booze tax to buy lots of bike paths and civic art.

[HiTech RedNeck]

Feeling guilty over his CO₂?

[NaughtiusMaximus]

I do need to add this . . .

Rodger's partner in crime, Tankersley, was whisked out of the Coconino County jail ASAP by Federal marshals as soon as his death was reported.

And by the way, I agree with every comment made so far on this thread, they are all likely true.

Hope this provides some ammo to the folks who like to fence with DU.

[tubebender]

Lookie here what we missed...

[SierraWasp]

He musta been one a them there EnvironMentalistas

[Texas Eagle]

A plastic bag. How ironic. Yet, funny.

[bonfire]

It's giggling funny!

[SierraWasp]

What'sa matta? Got a little "compassion fatigue?" (snort!)

[montag813]

At least he could have used a natural substance to kill himself

Really! What was the recycled content of that plastic bag??? And were any engangered insects suffocated inside the bag with him? I demand a Sierra Club investigation!

[FOG724]

Clever.

[ReignOfError]

WTF was a plastic bag doing in a jail cell to begin with? It's not like the guy had just walked in with his groceries.

[Slings and Arrows]

Schadenfreude ping!

[Bernard Marx]

Sustainable suffocation. Works for me.

[blackie]

Aonther good one!

[editor-surveyor]

If you believe that this dude committed suicide, you kind of gullible, IMHO.

This was a 'hit.' Earth first and ELF are criminal enterprises with people in many places. For example about 1/3 of USFS rangers are tied in with them. They couldn't afford to have him talk.

[editor-surveyor]

"WTF was a plastic bag doing in a jail cell to begin with?"

Obviously the bag had 'help' getting there. When you deal with mobsters, these things just happen.

[editor-surveyor]

"At least it's a good way to recycle an 'activist'"

Also an excellent way to keep an activist's tongue from warbling at the wrong time.