Also, since the Boston area has a rash of unsolved rapes widely ignored
-check the FR threads- don't you think the rapists
and illegal aliens which includes terrorists
are a much bigger threat than 'snow castle builders'?
Posted on 05/08/2005 7:04:09 AM PDT by Nachum
FRAMINGHAM -- Two Framingham High seniors arrested in January after they were ordered off high school property because they were building a snow fort were found guilty yesterday of trespassing.
Jenna Schroeder and Jason Osorio, both 18, now face a maximum of 30 days in jail after the two-day trial in Framingham District Court. The jury of three men and three women deliberated for about three hours before they reached a verdict.
Judge Douglas Stoddart will sentence the pair May 16. Although punishable by a maximum of 30 days in jail, according to Massachusetts General Law, an offender can also face a fine less than $100 and probation.
Neither Schroeder nor Osorio commented after the trial. Schroeder's attorney, Michael J. Heineman, also declined to comment. Osorio's lawyer, Melvin Norris, was not present during the verdict due to a hearing in federal court in Boston.
The pair were arrested Jan. 25 when police ordered them to leave the high school grounds while they were building a fort in a large pile of snow. The school was closed for the day due to the weather.
The teens claimed they were about to leave when they were arrested. Police said the pair were uncooperative and refused to leave after repeated requests.
During closing statements, both defense attorneys tried to convince the jury the arrests stemmed from the arresting officer, James Smith, getting angry at the "smart ass" teens.
Prosecutor Deb Bercovitch argued it was a clear-cut case -- two people told to leave the property who did not, so they were arrested.
Heineman questioned Smith's truthfulness in his closing statement.
"His credibility is something I'm going to ask you to look closely at," said Heineman. "Officer Smith tells a story that doesn't add up -- that doesn't make sense."
Heineman said Smith originally put a third teen, Edwin Snead, in his cruiser, but never arrested him. The lawyer said Smith grew angry at Schroeder when she asked first why Snead was put in the cruiser, and then asked for his name and badge number.
"Officer Smith never gave a reason -- why didn't he give a reason?" said Heineman. "Because being a smart ass is not a good answer. The evidence shows that Officer Smith was trying to bully and scare these kids."
He said Schroeder, Osorio and Snead were just having a fun day, building a snow fort in the large pile of snow. He said Schroeder's questioning of Smith led to the arrest.
"I would suggest the only crime Jenna broke that day, if it's a crime, is she stood up and asked a police officer his name and badge number," said Heineman. "She didn't cower. She didn't flee. She stood up for a friend. I would suggest the world needs more people like Jenna."
Norris, representing Osorio, said Smith had no right to arrest his client.
"Jason is a student at Framingham High School. Jason was at the Framingham High School. Jason had every right to be at the Framingham High School," Norris said. "The teenagers in this case are telling the truth about the facts of the case.
"Why would an officer exaggerate what happened," Norris continued. "Like all of us, he has a job. Everyone wants to be promoted, wants to get ahead."
"Officer Smith was there on behalf of the town of Framingham and the ground department of the public schools," said Bercovitch. "He (Smith) told you he begged and pleaded for them to leave for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, he was fed up. There's no argument, he was fed up, but is it reasonable to believe that it was just in the last minute he asked them to leave. I would suggest it was not."
Not only was Smith frustrated, Bercovitch said, but so were the defendants, who would not leave.
"That's all this case is about," she said. "Officer Smith has the authority to ask them to leave, he asked them to leave, they didn't leave, and he arrested them."
Also yesterday, both Schroeder and Osorio testified, while Smith was called as a rebuttal witness twice. Smith, Officer Benedetto Ottaviani, Torti and Snead were among those who testified Monday.
Schroeder testified that she was heading to her car when Smith arrested her. She said she even had her keys out ready to drive off.
"Officer Smith said, 'That's it,' and he threw me against the car," said Schroeder. "He yelled at me and said grow up."
Bercovitch asked Schroeder if she was mad when everything was happening, but she said she was more shocked and scared than angry. Bercovitch asked Schroeder why she did not call for help.
"You were scared? You didn't leave, did you? Did you call Edwin's mother? Did you call your mother? Did you call Jason's mother?" asked Bercovitch. "You were scared, but you went up to Officer Smith and questioned him?"
Schroeder said she was worried for Snead, who was later released from the cruiser and left before the arrests, and upset that Smith would not answer her questions.
At one point, Bercovitch looked at Schroeder's key chain and pointed out one that said "Property of Princess."
"Do you consider yourself a princess? Were you upset how he was treating you?" Bercovitch asked. The judge did not allow an answer to either question.
Later in the trial, Osorio said he was never told by anyone he should leave the snow fort before Smith came. He said he had heard someone had stopped and spoke to Snead, but he was not involved in the conversation.
Later, Osorio said he heard Smith berating Snead.
"I heard Officer Smith ask Edwin his name and where he lived," said Osorio. "I heard him ask if he (Snead) was a wise ass or trying to be smart by what he was doing at the snow mound."
Go ahead make my day.
I guess they've got no murderers, rapists, thieves, or stop sign runners in Framingham, so they go after the snow fort makers.
If they had raped a child, using a screwdriver as a threat, they would have 'walked' in Massachuetts.
If they had gang-raped children, passing them around the rapists,
they also would have 'walked' in Massachuetts.
Trespassing on another's property is a crime.
OTOH, taxpayers OWN public property.
Methinks the public servants here are forgetting that last minor point....
Another case where we now have law-enforcement instead of protect and serve.
Another case where we now have law-enforcement instead of protect and serve.
Are these kids paying taxes?
As well they should! These youngsters are not old enough to understand a crime like that. Illegal snow-forting, however, . . .
Also, since the Boston area has a rash of unsolved rapes widely ignored
-check the FR threads- don't you think the rapists
and illegal aliens which includes terrorists
are a much bigger threat than 'snow castle builders'?
Leave it to the home of the Kennedys - Taxachusetts!
Libertarian ping.To be added or removed from my ping list freepmail me or post a message here.
At least Officer Smith didn't shoot them all.
So, if me and four buddies, as taxpayers, decided to go down to the local high school and start playing basketball in the gym, then school authorities would have to tell the basketball team to wait until we were done?
And you can substitute "and" for "instead".
Leni
Took pictures of the approach, the getaway, the northwest corner the southwest corner and that's not to mention the aerial photography.
Their parents are.
If it was my kid, officer Smith would find himslef jacked up good. Officer Smith has no common sense. Too stupid to be a cop.
"Trespassing on another's property is a crime.
OTOH, taxpayers OWN public property.
Methinks the public servants here are forgetting that last minor point...."
Well, you can't use that argument and have kids walking around schools on weekends, or the courthouse, or the local government laboratory. In this particular case, the cop probably just wanted to stroke his own ego.
Yes.
whenever you purchase something, odds are, you will be paying taxes. Ok, its really a double taxation...the wages you received having already been taxed yet for some reason you must pay more tax when you use the money.
Personally, I believe taxes on food products (like tea) should never exceed 4% out of respect for Boston tea party.
Yes, the founders went to war because taxes were just to absurdly high... at 4%. Wonder what they would think of our current system (which would make King George proud)
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