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Teen faces 8 years in prison for sarcastic comment.


hydrosugar
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http://dailycaller.com/2013/06/27/texas-teen-makes-violent-joke-during-video-game-is-jailed-for-months/

 

I thought this was interesting, if only for the sheer absurdity of it all. He's already been held in jail since March for the comment, which alone borders on insanity. But to actually consider ruining a young mans life over a comment made in an online video game, is beyond ridiculous. This will not help the numerous Texas stereotypes floating around.

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I made a comment of a similar nature before and I got arrested for it. You don't joke about shit like this.

 

I love that this guy is being referred to as "teen" and "kid" when he's 19 years old (read: adult). I also enjoy that a petition for his release is citing freedom of speech in his defense -__-

 

If it wasn't obvious, I don't have any sympathy for him. I'm sure he won't go to prison, but his arrest is not uncalled for. Here's an idea, don't be a fucking idiot over a video game. I'm curious to what his comment was meant to accomplish anyways.

Edited by Veedrock
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“Justin was the kind of kid who didn’t read the newspaper,” said Jack Carter. “He didn’t watch television. He wasn’t aware of current events. These kids, they don’t realize what they’re doing. They don’t understand the implications. They don’t understand.”

 

He's 19 years old... he knew better.

 

That being said, the American justice system is flawed, and he technically committed no crime. The law is reactionary, not preventative... he should be let go, and possibly monitored for while.

 

If they really are afraid he's a danger to others, house arrest would be a viable option. Make him wear an ankle bracelet for the next year.

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If you're old enough to say shit like that you're old enough to take the consequences that follow. I have no sympathy for this guy. Lesson to anyone else out there who thinks saying shit like this in video games has no consequences, because it does. Yeah 8 years may be a little bit extreme, but it should set a bar for others to follow.

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I get arresting him for saying it. What I don't get is holding him and charging him further with no proof. If there are no plans, maps, or you know, GUNS that they can find... then they're just words, and he needs to be released.

 

 

Truth. Sort of. I get investigating (not arresting) him for saying what he said. However, without anything else to go on the arrest is an absolute joke.

 

The positive side of the matter is once a decent lawyer gets all this taken care of for the kid he won't ever have to work again. He will just live off the money he makes in his wrongful imprisonment suit against the county and in the civil suit against the woman that called the cops on him.

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If you're old enough to say shit like that you're old enough to take the consequences that follow. I have no sympathy for this guy. Lesson to anyone else out there who thinks saying shit like this in video games has no consequences, because it does. Yeah 8 years may be a little bit extreme, but it should set a bar for others to follow.

 

What a load of bollocks.

 

He was called mental and in the heat of the moment, rose to the person who called him it and said something that a mental person would. He then added lol and jk to make it clear that he was mucking about. Even if he hadn't would that have guaranteed that he wold have followed up his words? Of course not.

 

It makes no difference whether it was said over the internet or if something similar was said between a group of mates in a pub or in any other situation that involves two or more people having a conversation. People exaggerate. People bull shit.

 

I bet 99% of us at some point in our lives have had an argument with someone and said or thought that they would like to smash their face in. Should we all have had to serve prison sentences?

Edited by Morbido
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Unless he has a history of violent comments, crimes, etc then I see know reason why he should be facing 8 years in prison. They should do a thorough mental background check and make sure he doesn't have anything that shows he is a danger to anyone, whether it is children or not. Lastly, like Skillet said they should make him wear an ankle bracelet and be put on house arrest for a year or more, so that he learns to never say something like that again.

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I bet 99% of us at some point in our lives have had an argument with someone and said or thought that they would like to smash their face in. Should we all have had to serve prison sentences?

 

Yes because threatening to smash someones face in and saying you plan on killing a school full of young children only to proceed to eat their still beating hearts is totally the same thing.

 

People have different views on right and wrong, simple as that. I won't say your view is wrong, or anyone else's view is wrong just because it differs from mine.

Edited by Total Shinobi
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Yes because threatening to smash someones face in and saying you plan on killing a school full of young children only to proceed to eat their still beating hearts is totally the same thing.

 

Me threatening to break your face is a more realistic threat than someone saying they'll massacre kids and eat their hearts.

 

So, really, the former should be taken more seriously than some kid talking crap on LoL.

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Yes because threatening to smash someones face in and saying you plan on killing a school full of young children only to proceed to eat their still beating hearts is totally the same thing.

 

People have different views on right and wrong, simple as that. I won't say your view is wrong, or anyone else's view is wrong just because it differs from mine.

 

 

This has nothing to do with people's views on right and wrong. This has to do with the letter of the law. I find it hard to believe (absence the presence of any kind of manifesto, plans or weaponry) that there is any legal justification to hold the kid or charge the kid.

 

He is most likely having a few Constitutional Rights violated including his 1st Amendment Rights (speech, the government is prosecuting him for his words and not his actions). In the Larry Flynt (Hustler) case involving Jerry Falwell it was ruled that Flynt's jokes weren't libel because "a reasonable person would not have interpreted the parody to contain factual claims". The ruling applies to this case. No reasonable person could assume that the kid's comments carried intent without any other evidence showing intent.

 

The IV Amendment gives us protection against unreasonable searches and seizures. His words did not give justifiable reason for any search of his property or his arrest. Therefore it wouldn't even matter if any other evidence was found that may imply he wasn't joking. The acquisition of that evidence would violate the Constitution and therefore be inadmissible in court.

 

The XIV Amendment has been vaguely interpreted to include right to privacy and other issues that may be inherent in this case...if the XIV can be applied to abortion I see no reason why it can't apply here. Without due justification the government violated his rights to privacy.

 

Need some internet justice against the woman who called the police on this guy and his obvious joke of a comment.

 

The justice will come when he sues her into poverty after all this is straightened out. Of course I'm not sure how all that will work with her being Canadian and all.

Edited by bigbear.
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Can't believe people are actually defending this guy. 8 years is extreme but he does deserve punishment, why do people not get that you can't just joke about shit like this? Putting 'joke' after every single damn comment doesn't make it any less offensive.

 

Heh, tell me about it. The Internet is a colourful place, full of colourful people.

 

Me threatening to break your face is a more realistic threat than someone saying they'll massacre kids and eat their hearts.

 

So, really, the former should be taken more seriously than some kid talking crap on LoL.

 

You're not understanding the point I'm making. Try again.

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