3 Men Jailed And Fined For Church Blazes
Former College Students Get A Combined 23 Years In Prison For Setting Alabama Church Fires
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The three men arrested in the Alabama church arsons: Benjamin Nathan Moseley, left, Matthew Lee Cloyd, center, and Russell Lee DeBusk, Jr. (AP/Shelby County Sheriffs Office)
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A firefighter from the West Greene Fire Department sprays water on the smoldering remains of the Morning Star Missionary Baptist Church near Boligee, Ala., in Greene County, Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2006. (AP)
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An agent from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms investigates the remains of the Morning Star Baptist church near Boligee, Ala., on Feb. 7, 2006, after a fire destroyed the structure earlier that morning. (AP)
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Matthew Cloyd, 21, and Benjamin Nathan Moseley and Russell Lee DeBusk, both 20, pleaded guilty in December to federal arson and conspiracy charges linked to the blazes set over two nights in February 2006.
Cloyd and Mosely were both sentenced Monday to eight years in prison, five years of probation and 300 hours of community service at the burned churches. According to the Birmingham News, each of the men expected to be sentenced to at least seven years in prison.
They were also ordered to pay $3.1 million in restitution to the churches that were burned.
U.S. District Judge David Proctor sentenced DeBusk to seven years in prison and five years probation and ordered him to pay $1.9 million in restitution. He received a lighter sentence because he was not involved in as many of the fires. He also did not have a plea agreement with prosecutors, papers reported.
All three showed no emotion when the sentence was read. They apologized to the church members and pastors in the courtroom.
In court documents, defense attorneys and supporters of the three said they set the fires as a prank during a night of drinking and illicit hunting.
Five churches were set ablaze in Bibb County about 45 miles south of Birmingham on one night. Four other churches were burned four days later in three western counties near the Mississippi line.
All three men admitted being involved in the first five fires. Cloyd and Moseley said they set the later blazes in an attempt to throw investigators off their trail.
Investigators captured the three after linking tire tracks left at the scene to the tires on a sport-utility vehicle driven by Cloyd.
In letters of support to the judge, relatives and friends described the defendants as bright young men who were led astray by alcohol and their peers.
Cloyd was studying to be a physician's assistant at the University of Alabama at Birmingham; Moseley and DeBusk were theater majors attending school on scholarships at Birmingham-Southern College.
All three men also face state charges, and they are due in court in on Thursday for a hearing on whether they will be granted youthful offender status, a move that would lessen their state punishment.
District Attorney Michael Jackson expects the request to be denied. He and other local prosecutors are seeking time in state prison for the three after they finish their federal sentences.
© MMVII, CBS Interactive, Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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See all 21 CommentsThe American Indians call alcohol "stupid water."
Or "stupidity in a bottle."
So that's what he's been up to these days.
I was wondering why I hadn't heard anything about him lately.
Just a bunch of selfish, entitled young punks who thought the world was their oyster.
Prank my ***!
Posted by mgibson17 at 08:52 PM : Apr 09, 2007
Undoubtedly, they will be a lot worse for it, and so will the people who are unfortunate enought to come across them--very few people get rehabilitated in prison and due to the prison lifestyle and environment--it has a way of holding on to people and NOT letting them move on to a better life, even after they have done their time--they get hounded by police and people with grudges from prison or those who think they are owed something--will always be hunting them down and trying to either rat them out, frame them or use them in some way. Boys rarely think about the consequences when they do this kind of thing. I suppose the judge did not consider maybe TONS of community service?
Posted by toldyouso21 at 11:52 PM : Apr 09, 2007
Are you kidding me?
They will be much more 'stretched out' after being in prison for however many years! And that's great! These young punks need to be a$$ raped a few times to teach them a lesson!
Whoa! Look out! Here comes BUBBA!
ROTFLMAO!
Just a bunch of selfish, entitled young punks who thought the world was their oyster.
Prank my ***!
Posted by mgibson17 at 08:52 PM : Apr 09, 2007
Undoubtedly, they will be a lot worse for it, and so will the people who are unfortunate enought to come across them--very few people get rehabilitated in prison and due to the prison lifestyle and environment--it has a way of holding on to people and NOT letting them move on to a better life, even after they have done their time--they get hounded by police and people with grudges from prison or those who think they are owed something--will always be hunting them down and trying to either rat them out, frame them or use them in some way. Boys rarely think about the consequences when they do this kind of thing. I suppose the judge did not consider maybe TONS of community service?
That's way too much time.
Posted by Agnim at 09:45 PM : Apr 09, 2007
Arson in some states carry a mandatory 30 year sentence so they got off lightly--but still, their lives are ruined by this. Surely something else more rehabilitative could be worked out?
If no one dies, paying for the buildings (don't replace the churches) is fair enough consequences.
Had it been EMPTY mosques, then medals would have been in order. LOL
1)They'd have gotten more time if they were black. {{Injecting race with no basis in fact.}}
2)Their mug shots show they are depraved. ((compared to which 3 black guys?))
Then there are those who think they shouldn't do so much time, because it was only a few CHURCHES!!
Firefighters die in the line of duty all the time, that is what makes arson so very serious.
Personally, I think the sentences are a little soft, but then again,no one was hurt.
This will follow these young MORONS for the rest of their lives. Rightfully so.
That's way too much time.
Have them replace the buildings and a few months in jail to sober up and learn to stay away from drugs should be more than enough.
Hopefully, if they had burn mosques, then they would receive no time but given medals instead. LOL
Here's an idea: They like to play with fire, make 'em enlist. Lighting their cell on fire is too easy and 'an eye for an eye' is wrong anyway.
They burned down 5 churches!!
They sobered had time to think and contemplate their actions before burning down the other buildings. Then they sought to cover up their crime; that would indicate actions to avoid incrimination.
Should we or would we- feel sorry for these young men if they were black?
I think not.
We would throw the book at them and condemn them for the criminals they are.
These were apparently bright- intelligent young men who knew right from wrong; who came from good homes. (I always hear whites say that- no offense)
But decided to burn down a sacred institution where people go to pray for our soldiers in Iraq. They will have a long time to think about their %u201Cpranks%u201D as you put it; and sober up in the process. The double standard surrounding the use of alcohol confounds me to this day. What with all of the crime- death and devastation associated with the liquid; parents are still relieved knowing that their kids are not on drugs. Ascribing the consumption of alcohol to just harmless fun.
They hurt every parishioner who belonged to that church.
God may forgive their sin; but God also punishes sin.
They committed the crime, so let them now do the time.
In biblical times I dare day burning down the tabernacle would have certainly garnered a death sentence.
Hopefully when they get out they will be better %u201CMen%u201D for it.
Just a bunch of selfish, entitled young punks who thought the world was their oyster.
Prank my ***!
"They were also ordered to pay $3.1 million in restitution to the churches that were burned. "
LOL good luck collecting a dime, besides insurance covers it.
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At least give em the option... bust their ***** but don't take away all hope of redemption.
swhat church be bout anyhow. Hep em GOD !!!
Posted by funkiwiteboy at 08:01 PM : Apr 09, 2007
"It's jail or Afganistan with-out pay .... "
They did'nt kill anyone over drugs, they didn't rob or beat the hell out of some elderly person for profit, they didn't sell drugs (though they may have been on some)!?!
At least give em the option... bust their ***** but don't take away all hope of redemption.
swhat church be bout anyhow. Hep em GOD !!!
These boys didn't just get drunk and do something stupid that ruined their lives, they were stupid, got drunk, and did something criminal and ruined their lives. If it hadn't bee this, sooner or later it would have been something, perhaps even worse, like burning down a host of bars! (sarcasm)
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