Two women were found in a burning house on Friday, March 2, 2012. Investigators have since stated that the abandoned building was set on fire from the inside early in the morning. It has been reported that when firefighters were trying to get into the house through barred windows, they saw a woman behind the glass. The woman was rescued and hospitalized, but died over the weekend. During the additional investigation the body of a second woman was found beneath the rubble of the abandoned house. While the Los Angeles Police Department is treating this as more than an act of arson, the case has been deemed a homicide. The Los Angeles fire department said they found mattresses everywhere and lighters in one of the rooms of the building. Additionally, they used an accelerant canine which positively indicated that accelerants were used in this fire.
The act of arson is to willfully and / or maliciously set fire to a building, land or other property, and can be life-altering in a convicted case. In the above scenario, more damage was done than merely the destruction of a building. At Okabe & Haushalter, we understand the need for aggressive defense and the need for constitutional rights to be protected in such a situation. The sentences for a convicted arson case can be detrimental, including up to eight years in prison – this sentence can rapidly grow in the case of death or serious injury. In any legal case, your rights must be respected and protected aggressively; in the case of arson, it is no different. If you have been accused of arson, it is urgent that you contact an experienced, aggressive and successful Los Angeles criminal defense lawyer immediately. Our firm has a history of success in many high-profile cases and is committed to providing only the highest quality legal counsel. For legal assistance, contact a Los Angeles arson attorney at our firm today.
