The mother of one of the firefighters killed in the Yarnell Hill blaze has no right to sue the state for her son's death, the state Court of Appeals ruled Friday.
In a unanimous opinion, the judges said Marcia McKee presented no evidence that the actions of the state that 2013 day amounted to "willful misconduct'' by anyone involved.
Appellate Judge Andrew Gould acknowledged that McKee's allegations show "a series of negligent and grossly negligent acts'' that, if proven, culminated in the death of her son, Grant, and 18 members of the Granite Mountain Hotshot crew. But he said McKee provided no evidence that these acts "were done knowingly and purposely with the direct object of injuring the firefighters.''