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READER BEWARE: invisible Video may capture loggers' anger "Everyone on edge' after Humboldt protest death Sep. 22, 1998 By MIKE GENIELLA Press Democrat Staff Writer Humboldt County authorities Monday expanded their probe into last week's death of a young Earth First! protester after activists released a videotape disclosing a heated exchange between victim David Chain and loggers a few hours before he was killed by a falling tree. At the same time, Arcata police announced they are conducting an arson investigation into weekend fires that destroyed a Redwood Coast Co. logging truck and threatened several other parked rigs at two locations. Police said physical evidence at both scenes lead them to believe the fires were deliberately set by the same person. Police declined Monday to speculate on a motive, but timber interests said they feared the incidents might have been in retaliation for Chain's death. "Everyone is on edge. We're all taking extra security precautions,'' said a logging company owner who did not want to be identified. Sheriff's investigators today plan to fly over a rugged and remote Pacific Lumber Co. logging site 17 miles east of Highway 101 at Fortuna to see if a pattern of falling trees exists to support contentions by environmentalists that a logger last Thursday knowingly cut redwoods in the direction of Chain and other protesters, causing the first fatality in a decade of anti-logging protests on the North Coast. The logging operation has been shut down since Thursday's incident, and the site sealed off pending the sheriff's investigation. "We're going to get as much factual information as possible, and then we're going to turn over the results to the district attorney's office for review,'' said Lt. Steve Cobine. Activists on Monday demanded that sheriff's detectives conduct a "manslaughter investigation'' in light of the video's contents. But Cobine said while the department is pledged to conduct "an unbiased review'' of circumstances that led to Chain's death, investigators plan to leave it up to Humboldt County District Attorney Terry Farmer to decide what, if any, culpability exists. "As investigators, we're not here to decide who was right or wrong. The facts as we gather them will determine that,'' said Cobine. He declined to speculate on how long it might take before the case is turned over to prosecutors for review. The expanded sheriff's investigation was prompted by a video tape apparently filmed on scene by a trespassing activist within a few hours of Chain's death. The tape, if proved authentic, contradicts initial reports by Pacific Lumber representatives that its logging crew was unaware Chain and others were in the area when the fatal accident happened. The company initially said loggers had worked undisturbed from 7 a.m. to about noon, when Chain is believed to have been crushed to death by a falling redwood. A video tape turned over to authorities reveals an angry logger shouting obscenity-laced warnings at Chain and other intruders. While difficult at times to hear every spoken word, the logger at one point seems to threaten to send a tree falling in the direction of protesters if they don't leave. Pacific Lumber spokeswoman Mary Bullwinkel conceded Monday that initial company statements indicating the logging crew was unaware Thursday that activists were even on the site were incorrect. She said those statements stemmed from sketchy information first obtained from company workers at the scene. "Things were happening very fast. We got the best information we could at the time,'' said Bullwinkel. Bullwinkel said even with the tape's disclosure, it's clear there had been no confrontation for at least an hour before the accident. "There is no way a logger could have knowingly targeted Mr. Chain by falling a tree in his direction,'' said Bullwinkel. Pacific Lumber President John Campbell said Monday he viewed the tape and found it inconclusive. "We could not identify the person speaking because the sun was shining behind his head, and he could not be clearly seen. Nor could any of the intruders, because their backs were turned to the camera,'' said Campbell. Campbell said while it's clear the logger was angry, "I don't think what he was saying was threatening.'' Campbell admitted the obscenity-laced diatribe captured on tape "doesn't present a pretty picture.'' "But given the circumstances, I think the logger's frustration is understandable,'' said Campbell. © 1998 The Press Democrat
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