Speak out to the Napa DA in support of just punishment for felons who steal grapes
672 Comments
M
Marc Chance
11 years ago
Mr. Hill's penalty has already been reduced by half due to the dismissal of one charge.
Mr. Hill should be penalized at the full weight of the law on the remaining charge.
T
Tina Linn
11 years ago
I support full prosecution of Mr. Hill. There should be no reduction in sentencing for this type of crime giving him a sentence that would be allowed to the fullest extent of the law.
T
Tina Fung
11 years ago
The theft deserves a felony and local small businesses deserve to be protected!
H
Harold Mulet
11 years ago
This criminal should be dealt with as a felon and not reduce the charges against him
M
Mitchell Paff
11 years ago
FULL PENALTY!!!!
M
Michael J. Larson
11 years ago
A case dismissed for $800.000 and an additional felony case reduced to a misdemeanor would be a travesty of justice and due little to deter future thefts.
S
Steven Ernst
11 years ago
A heavy hand by the courts must come down on Mr. Hill. Any other theft at even a fraction of the value lost he'd be going to jail. For the protection of all Vintners he must be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.
K
Kathleen C. Guthrie
11 years ago
I think we all deserve to receive what we have coming to us in this world - for better or worse. In this particular case, it just happens to be for worse.
W
Wayne McKnight
11 years ago
There are and should be consequences from our actions. The courts need to reinforce this. Not sure what max means in this case but reducing to a misdemeanour would be a travesty of justice. A planned and calculated theft should be dealt with accordingly with a strong sentence.
E
Edward Hutcherson Jr.
11 years ago
This type of actions from a competitor is to be taken serious and should be punished at the maxium sentenacne. No amount of I'm sorry should be accepted and reduceing the sentance to a misdemeanor means that all the honest successful persons that are in bussiness means nothing just go steal from your competitor. A strong message needs to be sent.
C
Christopher Murphy
11 years ago
Allowing a crime like this to be reduced to a misdemeanor is a crime in itself. I've been a patron of the Del Dotto Vineyard and others for over a decade, by allowing this to be dimished to a misdemeanor sets an unfortunate precident. The winemakers and their families that work so hard to produce a quality product which will be disrupted by theft causing losses that will have to be passed to their consumers. This criminal is robbing your community your businesses and the patrons that support the Napa community.
I'm certain that anything less than a felony conviction will result in a slap on the wrist and announce open season on the great vinters of the area. This plea bargain is tragic and results in the victims being punished.
P
Pamela Tidwell
11 years ago
This is breaking the law.. And needs to taken seriously!! Crime should not PAY!!!
C
Chiradath Satjawatcharaphong
11 years ago
Mr. Hill is not a little kid who does not know between right and wrong. He knows the consequence of a thief if caught and yet chose to be one. I think he should be punished for what he did to the maximum of the the law allows.
J
John Doidge
11 years ago
To downgrade this felony to a misdemeanor and dismiss the first theft is outrageous. How is this any different than stealing $800,000 worth of new cars from a car dealer? Would that be a misdemeanor?? To let Hill off with a misdemeanor opens the door to frequent and devastating thefts throughout the wine industry.
R
Robert F Gawlik
11 years ago
Shame on Mr. Hill.............
D
David Morgan
11 years ago
Theft is not something to be taken lightly! If there is no message of punishment for crimes there is no deterrent for those thinking of committing the crimes.
C
Chris Knettler
11 years ago
Not once but twice. Don't allow it to happen again by this person or anyone else. The precident should be clear. Theft is theft. How many times would you allow someone to break into your home?
T
Tim Herrod
11 years ago
The prospect of a slap on the wrist and right back to business for Hill is absolutely unacceptable. Particularly given the nature of the business relationship, the importance of the grapes stolen in differentiating end product as the basis of a winery business, and the effect on the business in opportunity cost of what Del Dotto would have been able to turn those grapes into... If a non arms length individual stole $800,000 of any inventory: cash, steel, fuel, oil, IT hardware, software, intellectual property, whatever... it's criminal enough and would be taken far more seriously than this appears to have been. This was a trusted party, the legal standard has to be even higher - not lower. Unacceptable.
R
Richard Waltzer
11 years ago
Judge please do not let this plea become a misdaminor for such a crime that effects a great family and all the hard work they have done in Napa and helping the community! He deserves a felony and prison time to think about what he did!
R
Richard Waltzer
11 years ago
Judge please do not let this plea become a misdaminor for such a crime that effects a great family and all the hard work they have done in Napa and helping the community! He deserves a felony and prison time to think about what he did!
Mr. Hill's penalty has already been reduced by half due to the dismissal of one charge. Mr. Hill should be penalized at the full weight of the law on the remaining charge.
I support full prosecution of Mr. Hill. There should be no reduction in sentencing for this type of crime giving him a sentence that would be allowed to the fullest extent of the law.
The theft deserves a felony and local small businesses deserve to be protected!
This criminal should be dealt with as a felon and not reduce the charges against him
FULL PENALTY!!!!
A case dismissed for $800.000 and an additional felony case reduced to a misdemeanor would be a travesty of justice and due little to deter future thefts.
A heavy hand by the courts must come down on Mr. Hill. Any other theft at even a fraction of the value lost he'd be going to jail. For the protection of all Vintners he must be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.
I think we all deserve to receive what we have coming to us in this world - for better or worse. In this particular case, it just happens to be for worse.
There are and should be consequences from our actions. The courts need to reinforce this. Not sure what max means in this case but reducing to a misdemeanour would be a travesty of justice. A planned and calculated theft should be dealt with accordingly with a strong sentence.
This type of actions from a competitor is to be taken serious and should be punished at the maxium sentenacne. No amount of I'm sorry should be accepted and reduceing the sentance to a misdemeanor means that all the honest successful persons that are in bussiness means nothing just go steal from your competitor. A strong message needs to be sent.
Allowing a crime like this to be reduced to a misdemeanor is a crime in itself. I've been a patron of the Del Dotto Vineyard and others for over a decade, by allowing this to be dimished to a misdemeanor sets an unfortunate precident. The winemakers and their families that work so hard to produce a quality product which will be disrupted by theft causing losses that will have to be passed to their consumers. This criminal is robbing your community your businesses and the patrons that support the Napa community. I'm certain that anything less than a felony conviction will result in a slap on the wrist and announce open season on the great vinters of the area. This plea bargain is tragic and results in the victims being punished.
This is breaking the law.. And needs to taken seriously!! Crime should not PAY!!!
Mr. Hill is not a little kid who does not know between right and wrong. He knows the consequence of a thief if caught and yet chose to be one. I think he should be punished for what he did to the maximum of the the law allows.
To downgrade this felony to a misdemeanor and dismiss the first theft is outrageous. How is this any different than stealing $800,000 worth of new cars from a car dealer? Would that be a misdemeanor?? To let Hill off with a misdemeanor opens the door to frequent and devastating thefts throughout the wine industry.
Shame on Mr. Hill.............
Theft is not something to be taken lightly! If there is no message of punishment for crimes there is no deterrent for those thinking of committing the crimes.
Not once but twice. Don't allow it to happen again by this person or anyone else. The precident should be clear. Theft is theft. How many times would you allow someone to break into your home?
The prospect of a slap on the wrist and right back to business for Hill is absolutely unacceptable. Particularly given the nature of the business relationship, the importance of the grapes stolen in differentiating end product as the basis of a winery business, and the effect on the business in opportunity cost of what Del Dotto would have been able to turn those grapes into... If a non arms length individual stole $800,000 of any inventory: cash, steel, fuel, oil, IT hardware, software, intellectual property, whatever... it's criminal enough and would be taken far more seriously than this appears to have been. This was a trusted party, the legal standard has to be even higher - not lower. Unacceptable.
Judge please do not let this plea become a misdaminor for such a crime that effects a great family and all the hard work they have done in Napa and helping the community! He deserves a felony and prison time to think about what he did!
Judge please do not let this plea become a misdaminor for such a crime that effects a great family and all the hard work they have done in Napa and helping the community! He deserves a felony and prison time to think about what he did!