Posted on 08/20/2005 9:52:01 AM PDT by elkfersupper
ALBUQUERQUE (AP) - A 24-year-old dental student who sent a note and a wad of bubble gum with her fine for a speeding ticket has been found not guilty of two felony counts of mailing a threat.
A federal jury on Wednesday found Rosemary Ho of Phoenix not guilty following a two-day trial and a few hours of deliberation.
Ho was accused of mailing a note to the Santa Fe Motor Vehicle Division office in 2003 that read, “Caution: Touch at your own risk or use gloves. Ha-ha.” The word “caution” was highlighted in pink.
The letter also contained an $80 money order to pay her traffic ticket.
Despite the payment, the MVD called the FBI. Hazmat teams showed up and physicians drew blood and analysts looking at DNA and comparing handwriting involved.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy Sirignano told the jury that the MVD employee who opened the envelope reacted the way any reasonable public employee would in the post-9/11 world.
Ho’s attorney says his client may be guilty of bad taste or poor judgment, but she’s not a terrorist.
Not only is it acceptable to have public employees extorting money from us in a million ways, we have to insulate these freaks from harmless pranks.
I'm astounded.
Of course! No problem there.
What wasn't needed was the gathering of forces over a significant time span...the selection of lawyers...picking the jury....arrangement of court activities...the trial itself............all costing a small fortune. and all completely stupid.... which the jury was quick to grasp.
It could have been established within a few days that the material was bubblegum, that there was no criminal record....that her neighbors were in support....etc.
Bottom line: The establishment was clearly out of control.....another Amuralt case or Salem witch hunt.
The cost in time, material and personnel to do the testing in response to a threat, a threat clearly stated, would in and of itself warrant prosecution. Fed charges, perhaps not, but she deserved sanction.
How about some seminars for public employees on the application of common sense?
Oh, never mind. I forgot.
The fact that you are compelled to file a tax return is one of the problems.
Yeah. . .I do have a problem with that.
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