NEWS-TIMES WHIDBEY
Sports: Wildcat wrestlers win. A9
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2011 | Vol. 112, No. 101 | WWW.WHIDBEYNEWSTIMES.COM | 75¢
Judge treads lightly on Barefoot Bandit City loses 16-0 in its appeal
By JESSIE STENSLAND Staff reporter
The real Colton Harris-Moore bears little resemblance to the image of the brazen Barefoot Bandit who captured worldwide headlines with his exploits during a two-year crime spree. Instead, his defense attorneys, a forensic psychiatrist and even prosecutors described him as a painfully shy young man who survived a horrendous childhood, is embarrassed by media attention and does not consider himself a folk hero. Harris-Moore stared at his feet during most of his sentencing hearing that spanned Friday morning and most of the afternoon in Island County Superior Court in Coupeville. The stories of Harris-Moore’s trials and tribulations apparently swayed Judge Vickie Churchill, who pointed out that she had sentenced him in a different case four years ago. She balanced the sentencing SEE HARRIS-MOORE, A7
By JESSIE STENSLAND Staff reporter
Jessie Stensland / Whidbey News-Times
Colton Harris-Moore and his attorney, John Henry Browne, listen as the judge discusses the charges against the young man known as the Barefoot Bandit.
Harris-Moore media mob less than expected By JUSTIN BURNETT Staff reporter
Colton Harris-Moore appeared in Island County Superior Court for sentencing Friday but the Barefoot Bandit’s entourage, expected to number in the hundreds or more, never showed. Although dozens of journalists, many from mainstream broadcast and print media organizations such as Fox News and the New York Times, did line up at the courthouse door for the 9 a.m. hearing, the turnout was a far cry from the mob scene anticipated by local law enforcement. But Harris-Moore, 20, wasn’t totally without fans. Annie Cain and Hayley Hanna, both 18 and Langley residents, were first in line
and hoping to get a seat in the courtroom — or just a glimpse of the internationally known outlaw. “It’s the biggest thing to hit Whidbey Island so we wanted to be here,� Cain said. “Right when we heard he would be here, we knew we were coming,� Hanna said. Characterizing themselves as “sympathizers� rather than fans, the pair said they wanted to get as close to Harris-Moore as they could in the hopes of giving him a wave or wink. Others showed up specifically for the crowd rather than HarrisMoore. Billy Brigham, a Coupeville SEE MEDIA, A7
The board charged with enforcing the state’s Growth Management Act ruled against the city of Oak Harbor in its wide-ranging appeal of the Island County commissioners’ effort to prevent urban sprawl. The Western Washington Growth Management Hearings Board rejected all 16 legal questions raised by the city. It was an especially stinging refutation of the city’s arguments since a former member of the hearings board, City Attorney Margery Hite, represented Oak Harbor. The hearings board concluded the “county prevented further sprawl and encouraged growth within the existing UGA,� and that it is “not within cities’ discretion to determine UGA boundaries.� “To me, it was an unnecessary and expensive lawsuit. We’re just wasting the taxpayers’ time and money doing this,� County Commissioner Angie Homola said. She’s been involved in efforts to protect rural areas west of the city since before she became a commissioner. Homola said she hopes that this will mark “a turning point� and that SEE APPEAL, A4
‘Expanding urban growth areas will only cost taxpayers more money.’ -- Angie Homola, county commissioner
Justin Burnett / Whidbey News-Times
Island County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Detective Ed Wallace briefs reporters before the start of Colton Harris-Moore’s sentencing hearing in Island County Superior Court Friday.
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