Problem arises over new 'Barefoot Bandit' charge
SEATTLE (AP) - There's a potential problem with one of two new charges filed against "Barefoot Bandit" Colton Harris-Moore: He already pleaded guilty to it.
The youthful thief who gained international notoriety acknowledged dozens of crimes and was sentenced to seven years in prison as part of a 2011 plea deal resolving charges against him in three Washington counties.
Among those crimes was first-degree theft for stealing a Cirrus airplane from Anacortes in Skagit County in February 2010 and flying it to Orcas Island in San Juan County.
Earlier this month, Skagit County Prosecutor Rich Weyrich, who refused to take part in the plea deal, charged Harris-Moore with second-degree burglary for breaking into Anacortes Airport, and first-degree theft for taking the plane.
Weyrich said he didn't join the plea deal because he wanted Harris-Moore to answer for the Skagit County crimes in a local courtroom. Weyrich did not immediately return a call or an email on Monday seeking comment.
Charging Harris-Moore with theft of the plane - a crime for which he's already serving prison time - would appear to violate his constitutional right against being prosecuted twice for the same crime.
However, Skagit County could still be able to pursue the burglary charge.
Harris-Moore's lawyer, John Henry Browne, said last week it was "juvenile" for Weyrich to pursue further charges against his client, and the realization that Harris-Moore had already pleaded guilty to one of the latest charges made it "even more silly."
"Obviously Mr. Weyrich doesn't know the background of this case," Browne said. "Maybe this will make him change his mind."
San Juan County prosecutor Randall Gaylord previously charged Harris-Moore with the plane theft because he landed it in San Juan County. The crime was not included in the original charges but was added just days before Harris-Moore entered his plea in December 2011.
Harris-Moore was a thorn for Western Washington police since boyhood. He led authorities on a two-year game of cat-and-mouse in stolen cars, boats and airplanes. His run ended in 2010 after he crash-landed a stolen plane in the Bahamas and was arrested on a stolen boat in a hail of bullets.
The youthful thief who gained international notoriety acknowledged dozens of crimes and was sentenced to seven years in prison as part of a 2011 plea deal resolving charges against him in three Washington counties.
Among those crimes was first-degree theft for stealing a Cirrus airplane from Anacortes in Skagit County in February 2010 and flying it to Orcas Island in San Juan County.
Earlier this month, Skagit County Prosecutor Rich Weyrich, who refused to take part in the plea deal, charged Harris-Moore with second-degree burglary for breaking into Anacortes Airport, and first-degree theft for taking the plane.
Weyrich said he didn't join the plea deal because he wanted Harris-Moore to answer for the Skagit County crimes in a local courtroom. Weyrich did not immediately return a call or an email on Monday seeking comment.
Charging Harris-Moore with theft of the plane - a crime for which he's already serving prison time - would appear to violate his constitutional right against being prosecuted twice for the same crime.
However, Skagit County could still be able to pursue the burglary charge.
Harris-Moore's lawyer, John Henry Browne, said last week it was "juvenile" for Weyrich to pursue further charges against his client, and the realization that Harris-Moore had already pleaded guilty to one of the latest charges made it "even more silly."
"Obviously Mr. Weyrich doesn't know the background of this case," Browne said. "Maybe this will make him change his mind."
San Juan County prosecutor Randall Gaylord previously charged Harris-Moore with the plane theft because he landed it in San Juan County. The crime was not included in the original charges but was added just days before Harris-Moore entered his plea in December 2011.
Harris-Moore was a thorn for Western Washington police since boyhood. He led authorities on a two-year game of cat-and-mouse in stolen cars, boats and airplanes. His run ended in 2010 after he crash-landed a stolen plane in the Bahamas and was arrested on a stolen boat in a hail of bullets.
Next they will charge him for flaying a plane barefoot I do feel a lot better though that the system is wasting time on this case
I might get crap for this but I think they should have deferred prosecution and made him join the Navy as a Fighter Pilot. I believe that he is intelligent enough, he has stealth and evasion down pretty good and with disapline and education he can probably be an asset instead of costing us money in jail.
@swede760Â Except he cares about himself and no one else, and he won't get the accolades he gets doing this crap. Not to mention, you're setting a very dangerous precedence by doing that.
"He already pleaded guilty to it."
pled. /facepalm
@Peregrine "Pleaded" is also right, although it is more of the "emotional" kind...like those peddlers on the corners of the intersections, who plead for handouts and refuse to get proper help.
@washcomom @Peregrine Wow. Thanks washcomom. You've save me several sleepless nights.Â
Oh, and again, 7 years for all that little narcissistic punk did is entirely too little.
@Peregrine And you are right - 7 years is a slap on the wrist. I wonder if he will end up like Frank Abagnel, and work for the FBI.Â
I will cheer him all the way to jail. Kind of a Me first Robinhood
@Bert Kinda I guess you won't mind me stealing your car? Robin hood all the way!
Weyrich said he didn't join the plea deal because he wanted Harris-Moore to answer for the Skagit County crimes in a local courtroom.
Mr thinks Weyrich wanted some press too.
The only problem i see is that this little punk will some day get out of prison.