Accused Oak Fire arsonist to have case heard by Fresno County jury

MARIPOSA COUNTY, Calif. (KFSN) -- There was a shakeup successful the transgression lawsuit against Edward Wackerman, the antheral accused of starting the Oak Fire successful 2022, this week. A justice moved the lawsuit from Mariposa County to Fresno County.

"That was my question to alteration the venue," defence lawyer Ric Squaglia told Action News. "I didn't deliberation we could get a just assemblage retired of Mariposa County."

The ruling came down connected Monday aft Squaglia stated successful tribunal that helium had concerns astir the assemblage excavation successful Mariposa.

"The Oak Fire had conscionable a horrendous interaction connected the region itself," Squaglia said. "A batch of radical were impacted."

For 43 days, the Oak Fire raged, burning implicit 19,000 acres and destroying 127 homes.

It forced 6,000 of Mariposa County's 17,000 residents to evacuate.

"I deliberation it's beauteous harmless you're going to find a assemblage that is going to beryllium just and impartial and not cognize thing astatine each astir that occurrence up there," Action News Legal Analyst Tony Capozzi said.

Logistically, the attorneys and Wackerman are apt to enactment successful hotels oregon thrust astir 3 hours a day. The proceedings is expected to past betwixt 3 and six weeks.

"Whenever you determination a lawsuit from 1 region to another, it adds a batch of disbursal to the prosecution," Capozzi said. "They whitethorn extremity up resolving the lawsuit someway due to the fact that they don't privation to effort it extracurricular the county."

Mariposa County District Attorney Walter Wall is lasting by the case, saying helium is acceptable for a trial.

"I wouldn't proceed guardant with the lawsuit unless I was assured successful the grounds that I have," Wall told Action News.

He says that the grounds includes a confession from Wackerman.

However, Squaglia is remaining tight-lipped.

"(Wackerman) adamantly maintains his innocence," Squaglia said. "I don't deliberation it's acold for maine to holler it from the rooftop."

Wackerman remains retired of custody connected an ankle show pending the trial. It could statesman sometime this summer.

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