On the surface

it appears reasonable, presented as a coup and a win.
☛TS Hash receives 11 years in prison (Well, 5 1/2, if that)

Steven Daniel Hash pleaded guilty on Friday to manslaughter in the death of Curtis Huntzinger, a 14-year-old Blue Lake boy killed in 1990.

As members of Huntzinger's family watched, Assistant District Attorney Wes Keat read the terms of the plea agreement, which stipulated Hash will serve 11 years in prison, and pay a total of more than $9,000 in restitution fines.

Following the reading, Hash wiped tears from his eyes and spoke directly to Nancy Huntzinger, Curtis' mother.

”I'm so terribly sorry,” he said. “For years, I've asked God, 'How come I'm walking around in the free world?'

”I know what I've done. I took everything Curtis had ... I took it all and it's real hard to deal with that. I've been dealing with that for years.”

Hash then thanked District Attorney Chief Investigator Mike Hislop and investigator Wayne Cox for their “thorough and competent investigation.”

Hash was granted 45 days credit for time served. By California statute, Hash will be eligible for parole 51/2 years after his sentence begins....

Wes Keat speaks where the District Attorney should be speaking, a sign that something is wrong. If this was a win, Gallegos would have been all over it.

According to Keat, after his arrest, Hash was willing to fully cooperate with investigators, and had explained to them all the events that led up to the killing. Based on his admission, and the available evidence, the charge of manslaughter was appropriate given the circumstances of the killing, Keat said.

In May of 1990, during a sudden quarrel at Hash's home, Hash struck Curtis Huntzinger in the head with a dumbbell, killing him, Keat said.

”In the instant afterward, he was sorry it happened,” Keat said. “It was classic manslaughter.”

Manslaughter. Not murder. Because he was sorry in the instant after it happened.

So now, Hash was granted 45 days credit for time served. By California statute, Hash will be eligible for parole 51/2 years after his sentence begins.

And though The crime of voluntary manslaughter carries statute of limitations of six years, meaning the statute of limitations expired 13 years ago. Nevertheless, Hash was able to plead to the felony as part of the agreement.

It's another deal, and this time, though Gallegos can claim the family signed off on the deal, it is apparent that they are not happy about it.

During the Friday hearing, Nancy Huntzinger also gave a brief statement thanking Hash for leading investigators to her son's grave.

After Hash had left the courtroom to be returned to his cell, Nancy Huntzinger said she was ambivalent about Hash's agreement, and was simply happy to have her son's body returned to her.

”I told (DA investigators) when we got Curtis back, he (Hash) could get time served,” Nancy Huntzinger said.

Since Curtis Huntzinger's body was found in a shallow grave under a stand of young redwoods, between Blue Lake and Korbel, officials have used the word “closure” to describe the conclusion of the 18-year long search for his body.

But for some members of the Huntzinger family -- the other victims involved in the killing -- the word is hardly descriptive.

”Closure? I mean, that's like it's the end,” Nancy Huntzinger said. “It will never be the end. I will never forget Curtis. I will remember him as long as I can breathe his name.”

That's the article. But there's more in the comments. And though I am no fan of the comments section of any local publications, I have to say, the story that unfolds there is a must read. Family members and friends weigh in. Better read 'em before they get pulled down.

CJ Saint Claire - "In the instant afterward, he was sorry it happened..." so Mr Hash casually cruises through the expiration of the statue of limitations, and after 18 years of anguish, mom says "time served is OK" - I cannot imagine the pain and, quite possibly, the liberation of from such awful torment.

...and for Hash - Here is a case where just being sorry just is not good enough, you just got handed a pass on this one.

Someone needs to take this incident to the star chamber.

Case closed, finally. Sadly. Welcome home Curtis."
***
whodem dat slewdem - "11 years is a very short sentence considering that at most he will do 80% of that time and could do as little as five years. eligible for parole in 5.5 years really means eligible in 3 years. I am sure that the family is more concerned with closure than this mans sentence and they are relieved that they found the remains. Hash got a pass."
***
Blue Lake Cousin - Mr. Gallegos; you and your staff should be ashamed of yourselves and your pathetic attempts to bring justice for Curtis. Steve Hash is a child molestor and murderer; he tormented my family for years with the knowledge of what he did to Curtis, and you want us to believe that he was sorry for his actions and that this was a "classic case of manslaughter?" Since you've already thrown Curtis under the bus, what about the other children of Humboldt County that came into contact with Steve Hash and his sick cronies! I hope this isn't the end of the investigation; you owe it to the people of this county to carry this investigation forward and make sure that other children get the justice that they deserve. If this case is allowed to drop, the people of this county need to vote you out of office; you are a failure to the people of this county and the justice system that is supposed to protect us."
***
Cherri - would like to know if the people of Humboldt County are satisfied with their justice system. Please correct me if I am wrong, but as I understand it....in Humboldt County you can molest a child of 14, you can murder this child and bury his body in the woods somewhere. The trick is to keep somewhat quiet about if for just long enough. Then after say 19 years of being free to do what you want, raise your own son maybe, make sure he can take over your possession and your affairs are in order, you can decide to confess on your own terms. You then get a speedy court date, and nice slap on the hand of an 11 year sentence, where you know you'll probably be home in a little over five years. Am I right about all this? Can a criminal living in Humboldt County do these things and get away with it? Tell me I am wrong. Tell me there is a justice system in place that would never allow such horrible disgusting crimes against our children to go unpunished. If you take a life, is it really swept under the rug if you keep quiet long enough? My name is Cherri Hairston and Curtis Anthony Huntzinger was my brother. Steve Hash molested him. Steve Hash is a child molester! Steve has picked up a dumbell and hit my brother so hard in the head that it killed him. I hope my brother didn't suffer long. I hope he died long before Steve begun to cover up his crime by burying him in the woods. Then Steve Hash kept somewhat quiet for 19 years. For 19 years he knew what he had done and where my brother was. He lived his life. He saw his own son grow up and he did nothing to ease my family's pain.I expect the D.A. is pretty happy with himself for closing a 19 year old case. But this is not justice. This is not justice. The crime of murder and child molestation was commited and the man who confessed to it may walk the streets of Humboldt County as soon as 2014. Is this what passes for justice in Humboldt County? I wonder if we would have taken justice into our own hands back in 1990 what justice would have been? If it would have meant that we would be walking free after so little years, less than the 19 my family spent being tortured, I would have surely done it. We tell ourselves not to take justice into our own hands, that the truth would come forth someday and Steve would pay. I think we were wrong. Steve got away with molesting, murdering and burying my brother. He dropped a brick in the water that is our family and we are still in its wake. He got away with 19 years of torturing all who loved Curtis. He got away with it all."
***
blue lake mom - "cherri you have been through to much. Your mother will have good reason for great joy, I believed chuck pierce when he said that God would have justice for her. I hope that steve hash's fate, finially frees you and your mother of the scares he has caused.
P.S
Mr.Paul Gallagoes, I think the motherly vote in Blue Lake just went south on you. TY. I hope every mother in Humboldt county remembers Curtis and his mother nancy and his sister cherri Huntzinger on election day..."
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anonymous - "I know of someone who had "I support Gallegos" signs all over his yard. He's a convicted felon and not even allowed to vote in the first place.

Why do you think he wanted Gallegos in office? Again.

He's a felon, not in jail, and runs around this community making people think he is an upstanding great, and trustworthy guy.
Look very carefully into who you do business with.

If they are licensed in any way, you can get that information online or by calling the department they are licensed to do business through.

There are creeps on every corner who laugh at having "beat" the system and know exactly how to go about it."
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really now - "I voted for Gallegos so correct me if I'm wrong,please: Gallegos assured us he'd protect community and families. He'd go after hard drugs and violence. This was the reasoning to go easy on small marijuana cases. The gate was opened for hundreds to move here and cultivate with NO threat of prosecution. Then the large growers were allowed to slide. Then the really large commercial growers were given passes. Now the child molesters and child murderers are able to plea out? AND the DA's office speaks like it's a victory? I'm outraged and would like to hear a reasonable explanation from Paul himself. This WILL be an election issue. This plea is an insult to our county and a disgrace to past Gallegos supporters."
***

There's more. And your heart goes out to this family who has suffered the worst imaginable horror, with years of pain, that even with closure will not heal.

In and of itself, it might be fine, on the surface. But add to that the bizarre plea deal with Kesser and others that are documented on this blog. The schizophrenic nature of Gallegos' prosecutions go on. And he should have the courage to stand up and act, as a DA should, as the spokesperson for the office, even when it is not comfortable. Stop sending Keat to do the dirty work.

It's worth noting - and it is noted in those comments - "I imagine there was a plea deal in exchange for locating the body. It's a hefty price, but it needed to be done. Although everybody knows Gallegos is weak! Look at Siskiyou County they are gonna fry people for the same exact thing." That would be ☛TS the Cook case.