Quote:
Originally Posted by redwitch
I can just imagine the lawsuits filed by the perpetrators. The $100,000 will be chump change compared to the lawsuit for libel, slander, false arrest to name a few potential causes of action. No way is the Sheriff, the developer or any other entity going to name anyone without some hard proof and that proof is going to be hard to come by.
Neighbors, and the guilty homeowner, are going to claim they thought the trees were being cut down by some government agency. They have no clue what neighbor did it or paid to have it done will be the response by all, even if they positively know who did it. Even with a lot of luck, proving this crime beyond a reasonable doubt will be difficult if the homeowner had even a modicum of common sense and some smarts. The odds are the folks who actually did the deed are going to keep quiet for fear of criminal charges.
Folks, let it go. Someone committed an obscenity and got away with it. No matter how much we would like to see the perpetrator(s) brought to justice, the odds are against it.
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The defense to libel, slander (defamation) is the truth. If it is true that the trees cut down in the restricted area contains the same wood stacked behind someone's home , a home located at the location of the criminal act then do you not have a beginning. Is there not enough of a question to pursue this investigation? I seriously doubt any one of those people strongly suspected of this misdeed would follow up on a lawsuit. They may threatened one but if they proceed then they allow a free hand (opened the door) at investigating this incident and for a criminal investigation there is motive and opportunity. And, for a counter civil suit against the alleged perps there is a breach of a tort ,injury and damages.