Texas Teen Jailed for Joke

[pErvinalia]

But you'll gladly revolt against the gubment if they don't respect the flag and constitution?

[Collector1337]

But you'll gladly revolt against the gubment if they don't respect the flag and constitution?

Sounds like your conflating issues that have nothing to do with each other.

[pErvinalia]

Yeah, coz you're not reactionary.

[Collector1337]

Yeah, coz you're not reactionary.

About a kid playing League of Legends and being sarcastic?

Obviously not.

[Jason]

That's some bullshit right there. I mean, that he should face charges at all is unnaceptable. I used to do shit like that and worse when I was young. I've never gone on a killing spree.

Rabid fear turns ordinary people into maniacs. Here we have a society with a mania about violence and terrorists and which has lost sight of the importance of freedoms.

[JimC]

It would have been reasonable to check him out. If they found a stockpile of ammo and guns, and if there were several other indicators of mental problems, then evaluate further.

Failing that, drop it...

[Collector1337]

It would have been reasonable to check him out.

Absolutely not.

[JimC]

It would have been reasonable to check him out.

Absolutely not.

What he had been a nutter preparing another Sandy Hook?

I think they had a duty of care to do at least a cursory check. Failing any obvious signs, apologise and move on...

[Jason]

Why? Is there some data corroborating the public fears of increasing violence and mass killings? If not, then this level of scrutiny is unwarranted and an invasion of privacy. They're violating many of his freedoms, and much more now that he's in prison awaiting sentencing.

[Robert_S]

It would have been reasonable to check him out.

Absolutely not.

It might be reasonable to aproach the kid and say "Hey, that's really not appropriate"

I think it would be reasonable to check out that woman. I mean, really, an obviously joking comment. It's not phrased as a threat even if it was meant literally. I think she might be mentally unstable. I mean, she obsessed about it enough to track the guy down. I'm sorry to say, but that's kinda batty if you ask me. If the guy would have said "At such and such school I'm going to...." then it might be different.

The police have to follow formalities I guess, but the prosecutor needs to be sacked.

Filing a report that turns out to be nothing shouldn't be a prosecutable offense though, as long as there's no malicious intent.

[JimC]

Why? Is there some data corroborating the public fears of increasing violence and mass killings? If not, then this level of scrutiny is unwarranted and an invasion of privacy. They're violating many of his freedoms, and much more now that he's in prison awaiting sentencing.

Would a simple investigation have violated his freedoms significantly?

I mean, if the only thing they have against him is what he posted, then it is an absolute outrage that he should be imprisoned, don't get me wrong...

[Jason]

It might be reasonable to aproach the kid and say "Hey, that's really not appropriate"

This is the exact same issue that was at stake in Pappagate. The freedom to make bad jokes. The freedom to say what one wants. He wasn't yelling 'Fire' in a theatre - he was posting on a MMO game forum.

[Jason]

Why? Is there some data corroborating the public fears of increasing violence and mass killings? If not, then this level of scrutiny is unwarranted and an invasion of privacy. They're violating many of his freedoms, and much more now that he's in prison awaiting sentencing.

Would a simple investigation have violated his freedoms significantly?

Not if it was completely unobtrusive and passive in nature.

I mean, if the only thing they have against him is what he posted, then it is an absolute outrage that he should be imprisoned, don't get me wrong...

I'd also say that if they have uncovered he indeed was plotting something but have not released it to the press then the question changes entirely.

[Xamonas Chegwé]

The problem with Pappagate was that a lot of people jumped to conclusions and posted shit all over the interwebz (including here) without actually checking out what the fuck he wrote! Had they looked at the thread in question and the response to it on this site, anyone that is not an idiot would have been able to see that it was nothing more than a bad joke that fell flat on its face. End of!

BUT, having heard of it, it was reasonable for anyone to come here and have a look to see if there was any substance to the rumours flying about. That most didn't bother and simply engaged in primate poop-flinging speaks volumes about them.

The direct analogy is that it would have been reasonable for the law enforcement authorities, having been alerted to this guy's post, to make discrete enquiries and assure themselves that he wasn't planning another Sandy Hook and then leave it at that. Their total over-reaction just shows them up as incompetents and makes the law they are attempting to uphold into what it so often is known to resemble, an ass.

[Clinton Huxley]

The bobbies had to check this chap out, precautionary principle and all that but they do seem to have gone a little too far....