Man Gets 75 Years For Church Arson

POSTED: 4:05 pm PDT April 8, 2009

UPDATED: 5:05 pm PDT April 8, 2009

SALEM, Ore. -- A man who stormed a Salem church and set it on fire during services was sentenced Wednesday to 75 years in prison for the crime.The judge said the only way to ensure that Daniel Chan, 55, wouldn't hurt anyone else was to sentence him to 75 years in prison.In October 2006, Chan took a cab to the People's Church, threatened the cab driver with a knife, then stormed into the crowded sanctuary and set several fires.Church members tackled him and hundreds of people got out of the building, but the fires burned several people.

In court Wednesday, the prosecutor read portions of letters that some of the victims wanted the judge to hear. Some said they still live in fear."Since this happened she's had fear and sleepless nights. She suffered black and blue bruises from crawling over the pew to get away from the flames and she asks the court not to let anyone else go through what (the victims) have," Prosecutor Jodie Bureta said.Chan has a history of violence and killed his daughter and kidnapped a woman in 1989. He was found guilty but insane.This time, the judge ordered Chan to prison and left it up to the Corrections Department to decide what kind of psychiatric care he needs.

http://www.kptv.com/news/19131983/detail.html