Lawyers for Barton have claimed she was unfairly coerced by federal investigators into confessing to a crime and that she was never given the opportunity to have a lawyer present during her conversations with federal agents.

But in a detailed response, the U.S. attorney says Barton was told she did not have to speak to investigators -- and that she was free to leave, but did not. Barton subsequently admitted to setting the fire and signed a waiver of her right to an attorney.

It was after she signed the waiver that she signed a confession and voluntarily re-enacted the crime as agents videotaped her, Ferrugia said.

The U.S. attorney also says Barton voluntarily handed over a matchbook from her truck, telling investigators the missing matches were the ones she used to start the fire.

But the key question remains -- did Barton really burn a letter from her estranged husband in a fire pit and accidentally start a forest fire or did she set the blaze to intentionally burn the forest?

An analysis of the fire pit could not prove conclusively whether there was or wasn't a letter burned to ignite the fire.

Previous Stories:

• July 26, 2002: Sister: Hayman Arson Suspect Didn't Mean To Set Fire
• June 27, 2002: Barton Bonds Out, Released From Jail
• June 22, 2002: Prosecutors: Barton's Husband Never Wrote Any Letter
• June 21, 2002: Nation's Firefighters At Highest Level Of Preparedness
• June 21, 2002: Northern Permimeter Evacuees Allowed Back Home