A former Boy Scout leader who toppled an ancient rock formation in Utah's Goblin Valley State Park, and another Scout leader who videotaped the incident, are being charged with criminal mischief.
As we reported in October, David Hall filmed Glenn Taylor pushing over a giant, mushroom-shaped sandstone pillar, known as a hoodoo, that dates back to the Jurassic Period, 145 to 170 million years ago. The video was posted online, where it went viral. The pair, and a third man, are heard cheering as the pillar topples over.
At the time both Hall and Taylor were leading a Scouting trip, but they were later ejected from the Boy Scouts over the incident.
Hall is accused of criminal mischief and Taylor with assisting criminal mischief, both felonies.
The pair have claimed that the rock formation was precarious and could have hurt someone had it unexpectedly fallen over.
The Associated Press reports:
"Emery County Attorney David Blackwell said he filed the charges Friday but is trying to negotiate a plea deal."
"Both men, of Highland, Utah, about 30 miles south of Salt Lake City, were ordered to appear in state court March 18 ..."
"'We are taking it seriously,' Blackwell said. 'It's been an interesting case, mostly because of the attention it's garnered.'"
"Blackwell said any defense asserting the goblin-shaped rock was ready to tip over 'would need to have a lot of expert testimony, and it would probably go both ways.'"
Utah's KSL.com quotes Hall on Friday as saying that the men have already apologized and "said what needed to be said" about the incident.
Good to see justice finally might be done. These yahoos should be thrown in solitary for a time. A couple of decades seems about fair, just make sure they have no television, visitors, decent food or decent plumbing while in there.
I thought about putting them on a chain gang, to bust up rocks.
0 Replies
Frank Apisa
2
Reply
Sat 1 Feb, 2014 01:31 pm
@edgarblythe,
edgarblythe wrote:
A former Boy Scout leader who toppled an ancient rock formation in Utah's Goblin Valley State Park, and another Scout leader who videotaped the incident, are being charged with criminal mischief.
As we reported in October, David Hall filmed Glenn Taylor pushing over a giant, mushroom-shaped sandstone pillar, known as a hoodoo, that dates back to the Jurassic Period, 145 to 170 million years ago. The video was posted online, where it went viral. The pair, and a third man, are heard cheering as the pillar topples over.
At the time both Hall and Taylor were leading a Scouting trip, but they were later ejected from the Boy Scouts over the incident.
Hall is accused of criminal mischief and Taylor with assisting criminal mischief, both felonies.
The pair have claimed that the rock formation was precarious and could have hurt someone had it unexpectedly fallen over.
The Associated Press reports:
"Emery County Attorney David Blackwell said he filed the charges Friday but is trying to negotiate a plea deal."
"Both men, of Highland, Utah, about 30 miles south of Salt Lake City, were ordered to appear in state court March 18 ..."
"'We are taking it seriously,' Blackwell said. 'It's been an interesting case, mostly because of the attention it's garnered.'"
"Blackwell said any defense asserting the goblin-shaped rock was ready to tip over 'would need to have a lot of expert testimony, and it would probably go both ways.'"
Utah's KSL.com quotes Hall on Friday as saying that the men have already apologized and "said what needed to be said" about the incident.
So this jerk's defense apparently is that he had to knock it over because it might fall on someone...even though the thing has been there for 145 to 170 million years!!!!
Whew...I'd hate to be the lawyer trying to sell that with a straight face.
0 Replies
roger
4
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Sat 1 Feb, 2014 03:48 pm
We're probably lucky they didn't decide The Grand Canyon was a dangerous terrain feature.
Oh boy - they thought they were sooooooooooo clever!
0 Replies
ossobuco
1
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Sat 1 Feb, 2014 04:09 pm
I regret it's going to plea bargaining, or I think I regret it. Don't know the prosecutor's reasoning, probably money.
Aside from toppling it, they made doing that seem wonderful to their younger charges, thus perpetuating destruction of our natural monument heritage - which is already beset enough, what with graffiti et al.
0 Replies
rosborne979
3
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Sun 2 Feb, 2014 11:52 am
@edgarblythe,
I put my vote in for what should happen to these guys in the last thread:
rosborne979 wrote:
I think those guys are complete assholes and their excuse for vandalizing a national part on the grounds of safety is utter bullshit. They should each be fined the equivalent of one-year's salary, the Boy Scouts should kick them out, and they should be banned from all National Parks forever.
Suppose I walked into Carlsbad Caverns and started knocking down stalactites because I claimed they might fall on somebody (and filmed myself doing it and whooping it up with a buddy) and then visited Redwood National Forest and started burning down trees because there was a danger they might drop a branch on somebody... I don't see what they did as being a whole lot different.
I'm glad to see that the scouts have already booted them out. Only a few more steps to go with their punishment...
Romeo said: Romeo's Law- Whenever sensible people see a video camera pointing at them they go into "stupid mode" jcboy quipped: Just how many camera's do you have on you?
Congrats mate, that was almost funny..
Which reminds me, i shall have to do another vid of myself soon, this one below has been wowing my fans for a while and a sequel is long overdue-
(PoorOldSpike is my online wargaming name. TIP- click the youtube link at bottom so you can play it fullscreen for maximum dramatic effect)
0 Replies
Walter Hinteler
3
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Sun 2 Feb, 2014 12:40 pm
@roger,
There are some dangerous rocks around where you live as well (I'm glad that I didn't try navigate one of them nor corrected the mistakes written on some rocks in an abandoned village )
Ya know, there was some historic (more or less) writing incised into the sandstone walls of Chaco Canyon. You may have even seen it yourself. I have often wondered about the accuracy of the dates. Sometimes, there is a fine line between ancient or historical writing and plane old vandalism.
)
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