One story I read said they were seen walking around throwing down matches, if that's true it is hard to defend them.

 

If that's proven to be true, they're done for.

I feel like that will happen too, but you never know with a jury.

 

If they try them as adults, it sounds like according to TN law, the prosecutor will be able to go for 1st degree murder. Hard for a jury to send teenagers to prison for life.

 

Why, they killed 14 people.

I have yet to read their ages. Has that been reported. 13-14 is very different in these things than 17

 

I completely agree. From all they have (or haven't) disclosed about the age of the "juveniles", this could be 8 year olds playing with matches in the woods. Completely different from 17 year olds.

I completely agree. From all they have (or haven't) disclosed about the age of the "juveniles", this could be 8 year olds playing with matches in the woods. Completely different from 17 year olds.

 

They're teens. So, not 8 year olds.

One story I read said they were seen walking around throwing down matches, if that's true it is hard to defend them.

 

If true, absolutely never see the light of day again.

They're teens. So, not 8 year olds.

 

I didn't realize the "teens" detail had been disclosed. I found another article that cites them as 15 and 17 years old.

 

Sources: Teens toying with matches started Gatlinburg wildfire

If these kids were just playing with matches and accidentally started a fire they shouldn't spend the rest of their life in prison.

If these kids were just playing with matches and accidentally started a fire they shouldn't spend the rest of their life in prison.

From the article CWB posted it sounds less innocent than that. They were walking around tossing lit matches into the leaves. A witness caught pictures of the boys walking away with smoke visible behind them. That sounds like they were playing with the matches, letting the fire(s) start, and then walking off without trying to put out the blaze.

 

There is so much legal maneuvering to come it will be an interesting case to follow. The article I just mentioned explains a lot of it.

If these kids were just playing with matches and accidentally started a fire they shouldn't spend the rest of their life in prison.

 

They murdered 14 people.

They murdered 14 people.

 

No they didn't. But by Tennessee law they could be tried that way.

From the article CWB posted it sounds less innocent than that. They were walking around tossing lit matches into the leaves. A witness caught pictures of the boys walking away with smoke visible behind them. That sounds like they were playing with the matches, letting the fire(s) start, and then walking off without trying to put out the blaze.

 

There is so much legal maneuvering to come it will be an interesting case to follow. The article I just mentioned explains a lot of it.

 

Deliberate action. Should be charged to the fullest extent of the law.

No they didn't. But by Tennessee law they could be tried that way.

 

How did they not?

How did they not?

So if 2 kids are playing with matches and accidentally start this fire ultimately killing 14 people, your position is they murdered 14 people?

So if 2 kids are playing with matches and accidentally start this fire ultimately killing 14 people, your position is they murdered 14 people?

 

Absolutely. There is nothing accidental about starting a fire if you strike a match, let alone if you are just throwing the matches onto the dry ground in a forest. A match leads to fire, it was a deliberate action that caused the deaths of 14 people.

They murdered 14 people.

 

No they didn't. But by Tennessee law they could be tried that way.

 

I don't usually go down plantmanky's path too far on a lot of topics, but IF they were deliberately setting fires and walking off, then I'm in agreement with him here.