Posted on 08/02/2006 9:42:22 AM PDT by markomalley
Two Potomac teens were arrested for flashing a toy gun at a woman last week...
(snip)
At about 9:55 p.m. on Thursday, a 29-year-old Rockville woman reported that two boys had aimed a gun at her while driving near the intersection of Westlake Drive and Tuckerman Lane in Bethesda...
(snip)
The brothers were arrested and charged as juveniles with first-degree assault and released to the custody of their father, police said.
Under state law, first-degree assault is a felony that can carry a maximum penalty of 25 years in prison.
Using a toy weapon in a crime carries the same charge and possible jail time as using a real weapon, police said.
(Excerpt) Read more at gazette.net ...
Wow, this is absurd.
Because it would make them seem RIDICULOUS.
It's in the article, but you do have to click the link to read it, since it was snipped out. Here:
"The two brothers, ages 13 and 16, were riding in a red 1999 Mercury Mountaineer with their father when the traffic light turned green.
After the woman blew her horn to indicate the light change, the boys aimed at least one toy gun at her, police said."
Here's what I have to say about it. These boys were lucky this woman wasn't armed. Teenagers point a gun at me and they're likely to end up dead.
They're not going to get jail sentences over this, even though they could, legally. But the're going to get scared as crap over it.
You do not point a gun, toy or not, at someone like these boys did. Period. Never. It's a good way to end up dead.
Montgomery County, Maryland, is where the Washington snipers took target practice.
The most obvious question is, "What sort of toy guns?" If they looked realistic, the kids are lucky to be alive.
I agree.
Sorry I had to snip, but that was a requirement for posting from this source.
If it's a real looking gun, then I can see some kind of charge, but not the same as if a real one is aimed at someone. Those kids are lucky they didn't get shot. If it looked real and someone had reasonable fear for their life, it would be a justified shoot.
You are correct. If you live in the Wash Metro area, this isn't funny at all. It is not just a case of toy guns.
You have to have lived there to get it.
My opinion about this case is largely tempered by the outcome. The proper outcome should be a stern warning from a judge and case dismissed. However, kids (especially 16 year olds) ought to know better than to start waving anything around that might be mistaken for a real gun.
Anyone remember the days when all boys (and maybe some girls) had "cowboy guns" and holsters. Then you graduated to BB guns and could carry them safely without being threatened by "liberals" or arrested by the police?
It was a time of common sense before PC BS. Back then, even "liberals" knew the difference between a real gun and a toy.
They are 13 and 16. What are they doing with toy guns? Under the circumstances of the confrontation they could have just as likely been real weapons. I got no problem with this.
I can't imagine anybody here blowing this off if it happened to them.
Once you actually read the whole story, ytou can sdee what idiots these boys were. They could have ended up dead. Nothing to do with liberals or the nanny state.
I loved my silver revolver that shot off caps. :)
"But when last I checked, stupidity wasn't a felony"
No felony, but it is the most common capital offense nonetheless.
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