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Breaking: Watch closing arguments Slide Hill Tree Death on line

By Alan Hirsch

Tuesday, Davis city’s  “trial of the decade” begins to wrap up with closing arguments – and the public can watch the drama of three sets of polished lawyers via live-stream from home.

The issue is liability for the city killing a woman to through neglect of a city tree in a Slide Hill City park. The city of Davis and Davey consultants are defendants. Plaintiffs are the survivors of Jennifer Comey. She was killed by a tree limb in front of her three-year-old daughter by tree that overhung a sandbox—  the city could not provide any evidence of pruning or inspecting the tree during the trial.

 The Jury verdict may be  delivered before the weekend.

You can watch the drama in closing argument on Tuesday on line. The Jury will files in at 10:30-sharp. It will run until noon,

 You can attend dept 11 at yolo court house in person, or you can watch live stream at www.yolo.courts.ca.gov  Dept 11.

***
I have watched this slow motion tragedy unfold in city government as the “self-appointed Lorax” for over 15 years now. Previous generations of Council was advised  by top management they can cut funding maintenance of tree infrastructure. They were advised they could ignore the public comments of concern on this matter.

Even as everyone could see the city arborist was struggling to do his job.

The current council and community are now stuck with cleaning up the mess.

 The entire city hall chain of command who advised council and managed the city into this situation have now moved on- or with Mike Webb now leaving, have announced they soon will.

 Current Davis-and Yolo residences (thru YCPARMA risk pool) will be held liable to pick up the tab that will total some multiple of the tax increase we noted on ourself last November. 

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Comments

3 responses to “Breaking: Watch closing arguments Slide Hill Tree Death on line”

  1. Ron O

    As I noted before, I’m sure that the city will respond more carefully in the future.
    By trimming trees at their “base” (where they meet the ground).

    Reply
  2. Alan hirsch

    Closing arguments continue Wednesday morning at 10:30 and will likely wrap up by noon and the case will go to the jury in the afternoon. You can continue to watch at yolo.courts,ca.gov department, 11 courtroom.
    ——
    A tree grows for half its life then naturally weakens and in nature dues by dropping its limbs one by one. Urban Foresters job is to properly inspect the tree and take off the limbs before they fail. And to watch the trees in dangerous areas like over playgrounds like a hawk.
    Both City attorney and the city Forster under earth admit city failed to prune tree in slide hill park. This fails, the standard of care and and what the city admits is the “primary job of the urban Forster to manage risk.”
    The urban Forest knew this, but was confronted by chronic cuts in his budget by the city manager who refused to listen to him and the city manager, as well as the City Council did this for years.
    This is what has come out at the trial. The public will be able to see it if the city releases the former city manager, Rob Caine‘s deposition.

    Reply
  3. Changethis

    What a tragedy. Macro level changes to “cut forestry management” rapidly, with zero plan, instead of a moderation plan, is black and white thinking and a negligent approach.
    RIP to the woman who suffered the multiple injuries and tremendous pain in front of her 3 y old daughter. Imagine your precious baby watching you die. The one thing you want to do, protect them. This is National news. We cant let MBAs make drastic leadership choices anymore. Not in our counties, not our healthcare systems, nowhere. My tax dollars should have never permitted this and I pay 40 percent in CA.
    #justiceforjen
    Bless you sweet child, may your father find a way to be the mother you’ll never have. May your community express extensive support for all the things you’ll never learn. May you live to see a day where we value people over profit.

    Reply

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