Nevada County DA won't
press charges in death

Sac Bee Excloo

NEVADA CITY 9/3/02 (YSN) – Frank Fire Thunder, 32, will not be charged at this time in the shooting death of his 65-year-old father last week, the Nevada County District Attorney announced Tuesday.

Evidence indicated that Fire Thunder acted in self-defense when he shot Gene McFarland during an argument in the Big Oak Valley home they shared, officials in the district attorney’s office stated. Fire Thunder was freed following the announcement.

Fire Thunder, who had recently changed his name from McFarland, called deputies to home about 1 p.m. Thursday.

When they arrived deputies found Fire Thunder wounded in his side and McFarland dead.

A neighbor reported hearing a loud argument and multiple shots fired.

Fire Thunder “was in reasonable fear of his life and shot through a door at McFarland after (he) had been shot by McFarland,” according to a statement released by Assistant District Attorney Ron Wolfson.

Wolfson emphasized that the decision not to file charges was preliminary, pending the results from forensic tests and the autopsy.