The 28-year-old who caught widespread attention as Seattle’s #manintree has been charged with third degree assault and a count of malicious mischief for damaging the 80-foot-tall sequoia during his 24-hour escapade.
The full complaint from county prosecutors is below.
Cody Miller remains held in King County Jail on $50,000 bail. Though prosecutors acknowledge Miller’s criminal history is “limited,” they contend he is a risk to safety because “he spent more than 25 hours suspended more than 90 feet in the air throwing pine cones and a metal support at pedestrians, law enforcement officers, and firefighters, striking three officers.” Miller provided a Roseburg, Oregon residential address to police.
CHS reported on his Capitol Hill connections as a recent introduction to the neighborhood’s homeless and street community known for his colorful jacket and for a dramatic brush with the law or two. Last Wednesday as Miller returned to solid ground, police said they had concern for Miller’s physical and mental health as he was sent to Harborview for evaluation. By that afternoon, he was booked into jail.
According to police, Miller injured pedestrians and officers by throwing pine cones and fruit and also threatened others with metal bracing used to hold Christmas lights in the tree rises above 4th Ave downtown. The court document includes a calculation on the $7,800 damage Miller is reported to have done to the tree by breaking off branches and scrambling up and down the large tree:
Police say Miller’s actions “resulted in a response by more than 70 Seattle Police Patrol Officers, Sergeants, Lieutenants, negotiators, crisis response teams along with at least four separate Seattle Fire Department engine companies and battalion command staff as well as SWAT teams from Bellevue PD and Seattle.”
“This caused an incalculable waste of time and services and arguably the efficacy of local law-enforcement’s reaction time to other serious calls for service around the city,” prosectors write.
The full document from the King County Prosecuting Attorney is below.
I started a fundraiser to help Man in Tree with his bail. Please, everyone. Give what you can.
https://www.youcaring.com/man-in-tree-547063
Just clicked on that link. $0 raised so far. So you’re organizing the fundraiser, but not contributing at all? I too will give what I can.. which in this case, is $0.
Do you think he’s better off on the streets?
Better yet use the money collected to reimburse the city for personnel time wasted and any arborist remediation for the tree damage. And leave him where he is.
Looks like it’s no longer online. Which is the appropriate response. Money should be given for the tree.
This guy is clearly dangerous. Why should he be bailed out?
Why is this post tagged “mental illness?” Yes, the police did express concern about this guy’s mental health. yes, hanging out in a tree is probably an indication of *something* going on psychologically, but I see nothing in this article indicating that he’s been diagnosed. Can we avoid doing the diagnosing and stick to reporting, please? There’s enough stigma against mental illness without randomly assigning the label because it adds spice to a story and *seems* to fit.
The ST article had an interview from some of his family members, and they clearly indicated he had many episodes of delusional paranoia, which apparently metastasized into threatening behavior.
His mother lives in Alaska and according to the Seattle Times article has not seen him in some years, so her observations are not really relevant to the current situation. I’m sure his mental health will be assessed as part of the legal process.
That photo at the top of the post is kind of funny…the expression on the two other guys’ faces is “we don’t like you, please stop bothering us.” From the ST article, it sounds like his family feels the same way (for good reason). What are you supposed to do with crazy people that won’t take their meds and show signs of violence?
You want money to lat this nut case Looney Idiot out of jail. Why he is just a azzhole let him be sent back to Oregon where he is wanted on a old warrant and make him join a work release program so he can pay for the damage he did to the tree and pay for the public resources to get him down. As for the dumb shits who gave you money what a bunch of fools. Go climb a tree. I thought Sequa trees droped a type of pine cone not nuts.