Jury Acquits Man In Anthrax Hoax (Florida)

Ft Myers News-Press ^ | August 21, 2002 | Mike Hoyem

[Shermy]

A Lehigh Acres man arrested after sprinkling white powder on his best friend

[TightSqueeze]

Assistant State Attorney Sean O’Halloran Ding-Ding-Ding-Whoop-Whoop-Whoop A$$hole Alert!!!!!!!!

[newgeezer]

Wow. There's hope yet for America. I would've bet this guy would've been sent up the river, given what we know about juries and lawyers.

On top of that, he put it in the mailbox, and we all know that's sacred USPS property.

I wonder if the state's attorney admits justice was served here. I wonder if he'd sleep better if Beaird had been convicted.

[lelio]

On the witness stand, Beaird said he never intended the powder to be taken as anthrax. He said the joke was inspired by Steven Vander Hyden’s habit of using a lot of talcum powder.
Oh come on, can he actually say that with a straight face?

[Revolting cat!]

Bbbbut, but, what if it hadn't been a joke? How will we know for sure? What if 911 was all a joke? What if Islam is one buig joke? What if this post is a joke? What if this planet is another planet's hell? (A serious question!) I'm so conffff-u-u-u-u-s-e-d!

[TheBattman]

"On the witness stand, Beaird said he never intended the powder to be taken as anthrax. He said the joke was inspired by Steven Vander Hyden’s habit of using a lot of talcum powder. "

I really find this hard to believe. OK, I AM certain that this was intended as a practical joke - unfortunately, one should use common sense when pulling a prank. Sprinkling a white powder on mail in someone's mailbox WHILE THERE IS A CURRENTLY HAPPENING TERRORIST ATTACK INVOVING ANTHRAX and powders that contain the spores was truly a dumb move. I think the jerk should have at least paid a fine for being a public nusance, after all - it did require the serious reaction of law enforcement to handle the perceived situation.

Jail time...no.

I guess Beaird didn't know that tampering with mail OR THE MAILBOX is a federal crime.....

[mass55th]

Although Vander Hyden said he wasn't terrorized, he apparently felt threatened enough to call the police and report a white substance in his mailbox. This guy Beaird should have to pay what it cost the city (police & fire response teams) to deal with this so-called joke.

[sarasmom]

Agreed.