Tennessee Subscription Controversy - Was the Homeowner's Offer of Money a Bribe?

As reported elsewhere on Firefighter Nation and in the national media...

"A local neighborhood is furious after firefighters watched as an Obion County, Tennessee, home burned to the ground. The homeowner, Gene Cranick, said he offered to pay whatever it would take for firefighters to put out the flames, but was told it was too late. They wouldn't do anything to stop his house from burning."

Is it possible that the homeowner was guilty of attempting to bribe a public official?

Is it possible that the fire chief could have been arrested for extortion if he had taken the homeowner up on the money offer?

Could it be that there's another aspect to this than what has already been reported?

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Permalink Reply by Richard Armstrong on October 10, 2010 at 8:00am

Ben your funny!!! But that is true what you have said here! Like in the other 1000 posts about this I've said you never know what the city officials would have done to all of those guys had they have put out the fire.I personally know they did the right thing some people aren't getting it but i'm just a volunteer makin about 4000 bucks a year doin this so you know I ain't doin it for the cash I just love doing it and I'm not going lose it for a guy who purposly does not pay when specifically told by my superiors not to.

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Permalink Reply by Ben Waller on October 10, 2010 at 10:20am

Why is this funny?

If a law enforcement official investigates and determines that the homeowner's actions violated the criminal code, then it's outside the definition of humorous.

There are a bunch of people who seem bent on giving the homeowner a pass.
I'm just trying to look at this from all angles, and this angle could be very, very bad for the homeowner, depending upon how law enforcement views it.

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Permalink Reply by BillySFCVFD on October 10, 2010 at 11:18am

I believe technically it would be a bribe but also believe it was done under duress on the homeowner's part so prosecution might not be a popular thing to do in that county. The receiving end (Fire Chief) is a different story whereas he might have lost his job (real bad) by accepting it let alone be prosecuted for "accepting a bribe"- once again not popular. Since no lives were injured or lost I hope this incident is a wake up call for homeowners and officials in Obion County and a better/clearer policy is established.