Updated: Woman found guilty of arson in 2001 University of Washington fire

The Seattle Times ^ | March 7, 2008 | Mike Carter and Hal Bernton

[jazusamo]

TACOMA — Jurors weighing the fate of Briana Waters struggled with a charge that would have sent the 32-year-old mother and violin teacher to prison for 30 years.

Their verdict, delivered Thursday in a packed federal courtroom, recognized her participation in the 2001 arson at a University of Washington research center, but also her limited role in the crime and the modest prison sentences expected to be given to others involved. The arson was committed in the name of the Earth Liberation Front.

While jurors convicted the Oakland, Calif., woman of two counts of arson, they deadlocked on three other charges, including the most serious, which would have sent her to prison for a minimum of 30 years. Afterward, some in the jury said they were sympathetic because Waters has a 3-year-old daughter.

"It's fair to say that for a lot of us, it was very emotional," said one male juror, who spoke on condition of anonymity. "I mean, here was a mom with a kid. It certainly played into the deliberations."

~snip~

Her attorney, Robert Bloom, argued that she should remain free pending her sentencing.

Bloom said Waters posed no flight risk and no danger to the community.

"Indeed, this is a woman who has lived an exemplary life ... A life to which we all should aspire," Bloom said.

"I beg to differ," countered Bartlett, the prosecutor. "She is a felon. She committed perjury, she told lie after lie. She has shown an incredible inability to deal with her own actions."

~snip~

Bruce Bare, dean of the UW's College of Forest Resources, said he was pleased with the verdict.

"Somebody was held accountable. It will never cover the emotional anguish that some of our folks suffered," Bare said.

[Jacquerie]

Ya can't make this up. The story line couldn't make a Michael Moore film festival.

In convicting Waters of arson . . . because (Waters) believed, mistakenly, that a researcher was genetically engineering trees.

This woman risked the lives of those possibly in the building, her freedom and the upbringing of her daughter because ELF believed researchers were working on trees.

These silly but dangerous terrorists belong out of the gene pool.

[AnAmericanMother]

I can highly recommend the South . . . plenty of old-fashioned manly men down here. Been married to one of them for 31 years this June.

[Dmitry Vukicevich]

You’re so right about soft men in this area. If I don’t get out of here, I’ll die single.

Well if you marry a soft man, it would be preferable to die single. Just as if I was to marry a hard woman. shudder

[thulldud]

I can highly recommend the South . . . plenty of old-fashioned manly men down here.

Ann Coulter referred to the South as "America's warrior class."

I'd offer to marry you, but I been "off the market" for 30 years this June. And it was a Yankee expat that boated me, at that.

[AnAmericanMother]

Like my dear gggg grandfather Mr. Edward Young, who was born in New York City in 1803, your spouse had the sense to move South.

[Veto!]

“Ann Coulter referred to the South as “America’s warrior class”

Now THAT is interesting. Do you consider Florida the South? Virginia? I’m definitely moving within 18 months.

[thulldud]

Do you consider Florida the South?

Ask the Floridians. They will tell you that northern Florida (paradoxically) is the South, while the rest of the thing is some other country altogether.