Gatlinburg wildfire: Charges dropped against 2 teens (al.com)
Updated on June 30, 2017 at 2:14 PMPosted on June 30, 2017 at 12:16 AM
By Leada Gore
lgore@al.com
Charges against two Tennessee teenagers suspected of starting last year's deadly Gatlinburg fire have been dropped, according to attorneys.
Aggravated arson charges against the boys, ages 17 and 15 were dismissed, Defense attorney Gregory Isaacs confirmed to the Knoxville News. Isaacs represented the younger boy. Neither of the teens have been identified.
At a Friday press conference, Isaacs said the state can't prove the boys started the fire.
"My client and the other juvenile, based on the proof and the evidence, did not cause the death and devastation in Gatlinburg," Isaacs said, adding the state made an "unfortunate rush to judgment" of the teens.
The announcement is the first news related the teens since their arrests last year. The two had been charged with aggravated arson on Dec. 7, about two weeks after a fire in the Great Smoky Mountain National Park spread to neighboring communities, killing 14 people, destroying more than 2,000 homes and businesses and forcing the evacuation of more than 14,000 people from the tourist towns.
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