A judge this month rejected an appeal for a new trial by convicted arsonist William Cottrell.
Cottrell, 24, was convicted on 8 of 9 charges related to the August 2003 arson of SUVs at a California car dealership. The arson was claimed by the Earth Liberation Front.
Cottrell’s lawyers initially wanted to offer a defense based on Cottrell’s autism diagnosis. They wanted to argue that he had diminished culpability for the crimes because his autism made it difficult for him to understand what he was getting involved in.
The trial judge ruled that the Cottrell could not use the autism defense, but after his conviction his lawyers appealed asking for a new trial on the grounds that the judge should have allowed the autism defense.
Instead, U.S. District Judge R. Gary Klausner denied Cottrell’s request, essentially finding that the trial judge was correct that Cottrell’s autism was irrelevant in determining Cottrell’s guilt or innocence.
Cottrell is scheduled to be sentenced March 7.
Source:
Judge rejects bid for new trial by convicted arsonist. Associated Press, January 3, 2005.