Retiree Faces Prison For Killing 500 Trees

The Skinny: Nevada Man Convicted Of Destroying Trees Blocking His View Of Las Vegas Strip

(CBS)  The Skinny is Keach Hagey's take on the top news of the day and the best of the Internet.

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In a nation whose founding president is famous for his tree chopping, you'd think there's be a little more sympathy for the likes of Douglas Hoffman.

But a jury just convicted the Nevada retiree on 10 charges in the destruction of more than 500 trees, the Los Angeles Times reports. He now faces up to 35 years in prison.

Hoffman, who had moved with his wife into an upscale retirement community just south of Las Vegas five years ago, had complained to the homeowners committee that the greenery was blocking his view of the Strip. At once point he even asked if he could swap out the rapidly growing trees marring the couple's view for shrubs. He was told no.

So he took matters into his own hands. Call it arboricide, vigilante-style. In 2004, the tops of 60 trees were lopped off. Homeowners thought it was maybe teenagers. Over the next year, more trees - some worth $1,450 - were felled. The developer hired a private security firm. Upset residents posted photos of the carnage online.

He severed some, but other he sliced just enough so that they would slowly die. In a year's time, authorities said, he wiped out more than 500 trees.

Then one November night in 2005, one resident - who just happened to be a retired sherrif's deputy - was driving home when he noticed a freshly cut tree and a figure disappear into the darkness. He grabbed a golf club and gave chase. He found Hoffman, patted him down, and found a single-blade saw under his clothes.

When authorities searched Hoffman's home, they found a seven-page screed decrying the community's landscaping. Hoffman's wife told them that her husband had whacked some branches in order to get a better view of the Strip. The subsequent foliage slaughter was Hoffman's plan to cover up his initial chopping, police said.

Hoffman's wife said her husband was too old and sick to be running around in the woods at night chopping down trees. She said the saw was something he scooped up on the side of the road.

"You murder someone, and it's OK," she said. "But you're accused of killing trees, and it's like, execute him."

Giuliani's Firm Lobbied For Bill Bush Administration Calls A Threat

When it comes to his stance on fighting terrorism, the campaigning Rudy Giuliani is so aligned with the Bush administration that he could shorten many of his speeches by simply chanting "four more years."

So it's startling to read in today's New York Times that Giuliani's law firm has been lobbying Congress on behalf of legislation that the Bush administration calls a threat to antiterrorism efforts in the Horn of Africa.

Bracewell & Giuliani was hired last year by the American wing of a dissident Ethiopian political party known as the Coalition for Unity and Democracy. The group wanted Congress to pass legislation proposing restrictions in American aid if Ethiopia does not agree to share power with opposition parties and take other steps promoting democracy.

The Bush administration supports the government of Ethiopia as a bulwark against terrorism and has characterized the legislation as a liability in that effort.

Although the Ethiopian opposition has many supporters in Congress, in part because of the existing government's reputation for repression, the administration believes that the current government is making progress towards democracy, a state department official said.

Moreover, the Bush administration is impressed by the way the current Ethiopian government has helped put the smackdown on an extremist insurgency in neighboring Somalia, where it has sent troops and worked to aid American operations against al Qaeda suspects.

Although Giuliani was not personally involved in the lobbying, his firm used his name in its pitch to win the assignment, and his clout was the reason it landed the job, said Seyoum Solomon, an Ethiopian-American from Maryland who helped negotiate the deal.

The conflict highlights how tricky it is for candidates to keep operating in the business world while the run for office, the paper suggests. At the moment, in fact, Giuliani is alone among Republican contenders for keeping his business pursuits while campaigning.

In the end, the Ethiopian opposition group ended their contract with the law firm last year, in part because the firm never delivered a meeting with Giuliani (the firm denies ever promising such a thing). Nevertheless, the legislation that the group wanted passed by a voice vote in the House of Representatives in October.

This Holiday, Consider Telecommuting

Just when you thought flying couldn't become anything more of an infernal punishment, USA Today reports that the country's six big network airlines are continuing to trim their U.S. schedules, despite strong travel demand.

This time, they're blaming the oil companies.

The airlines, which handle about two-thirds of domestic flying, are reacting to autumn's run-up in fuel prices, which can make some flight unprofitable, said William Swelbar of MIT's International Center for Air Transportation.

"With $90 oil, (airlines) have to really look in the mirror . . . to see whether the economics still make sense," he said.

American, United, Delta, Continental, Northwest and US Airways have scheduled 4.4 fewer seats for January than a year earlier, according to USA Today's analysis of flight schedules.

To trim capacity, airlines can eliminate routes, fly them less frequently or switch to smaller planes. Whatever the course, travelers face reduced options and fuller flights.

"If you have a cancellation," said Wayne Shank, deputy executive director of the Norfolk, Va. Airport, "you could be sitting there for a couple of days instead of a couple of hours."

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[american1771]

I live in Las Vegas and as soon as I can make enough money "2009" to move I''m out of here Clark County and the City of Las Vegas are as bad as the Bush Administration when it comes to policy, secret scandals, and priority''s. As for that guy in order to have a view of the strip much less live in a part of town where there are 500 tree''s (a small forest by desert standards) he had to be loaded. Which means sure he could have paid to replace them but at the same time he could have made a better decision and relocated. But of course in order to do that he would have to find another place with lakes and a golf course and most of that real estate has already been taken by the other Rich Californians that are steadily moving here. I guess what it comes down to is he must of really been an #$% hole while he was in court.
But that''s the least of our Nation''s Problem''s because at the rate our economy is going we''ll be no better off than the Russians were when they pulled there troops out of Afganistan years ago.
They are the one''s fueling this war to keep it going just like we did to them when they were in Afganistan the longer they keep us in Iraq and Afgan the closer we are to Economic Failure and so far its working pretty good. Paybacks are a #@$%* :)

[jackie0428]

Give him a medal. Trees suck and are overrated.

[jackie0428]

This guy rules. We have a totally sucky HOA where I live and they are worthless lazy do-nothings. I can see why people get frustarted and go out and do sh*it themselves.

[agarwal1]

WATCH THE OLD MAN CUTTING DOWN THE TREE WITH AXE IN TH EMIDDLE OF NIGHT.. CAUGHT ON TAPE


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YYjQpFAGUrQ

[buddhabman]

Hey I can see trimming a few trees, but 500. LOL :-) I thought this guy was retired. There are pros that don''t kill/cut down 500 trees in 5 years. On the serious side 500 trees left to grow to maturity would help the air quality. In Vegas they should be planting more trees, for the cooling and air cleansing effect. So yes it is an environmental matter.

[rohink-2009]

ibsteve2u

No, he should have bought the property in 1999 and in 2000 Clinton could have pardoned him in his final hour frenzy to pardon all his crook friends.

[rohink-2009]

"Killing" trees and "slaughtering" foilage? 35 years in prison? A woman shoots her sleeping husband in the back and gets a few months in jail. I would say we live in an upside down world. Fine him and make him do community service, but prison, if I didn''t know any better I would think this a joke story.

[trillion1]

He and his wife both need serious mental health treatment but jail is a waste of money. Make him pay for new trees plant them and take care of them. His defenders need some common sense. I wouldn''t pay a dime for an ocean view. It''s boring.

[rjsobieck]

This is a very simple case. The man was refused permission to change out the trees by his homeowners association. Rather than abide by their decision or leave the neighborhood he took matters into his own hands and did several thousand dollars worth of damage-a felony. He was tried and convicted by a jury of his peers who heard the evidence presented. He got what he deserved.

[hdvideo1]

Okay he sounds whack, but 35 years is over doing it. Make him pay for the trees, make him plant trees but 35 years is just way out of line. We have people coming into this country without documents and that is far worse than some old man cutting down trees. Get a grip.