Posted on 08/26/2006 12:02:16 PM PDT by freedom44
JEANNETTE, Pa. (AP) - Meow. A district judge has been asked to decide whether that word is a harmless taunt or grounds for misdemeanor harassment. Jeannette police charged a 14-year-old boy for "meowing" whenever he sees his neighbor, 78-year-old Alexandria Carasia.
The boy's family and Carasia do not get along. The boy's mother said the family got rid of their cat after Carasia complained to police that it used her flower garden as a litter box.
The boy testified Tuesday that he only meowed at the woman twice. Carasia testified, "Every time he sees me, he meows."
The boy's defense attorney, David Martin Jr., argued that the charge should be dismissed.
"This should never have been filed," Martin said. "This is not something that police should be wasting their time with or wasting the court's time."
Jeannette District Judge Joseph DeMarchis decided to wait 90 days before ruling. DeMarchis said his decision will be based on how the boy and his neighbor get along in the meantime.
Hmmmmm. Maybe I better be careful "mooing" when around certain excessively robust females?
Why doesn't the old crone just "Hee Haw" back at the kid?
What a waste of court time!
I agree with your response. Why be nice to a kid that's not nice?
Well, Emily Post would not approve . . . but I'd hope it would make the kid never meow at me again.
If the judge rules meowing illegal, then that cat food commercial will have to be ruled illegal, then the Head On commercial will go because of irritation.
Nope, can't declare meowing illegal. It'll just stir up a can of worms.
First, I don't let my kitties out. Most aren't interested in doing anything but looking out the windows anyway.
But second, I'm not certain I could find cat excrement in my ornamentals (more than flowers in there). I just don't get that close. And kitties DO usually bury. Unlike the neighbors'!@#$ dog, who I never caught doing it, who dropped his bigger-than-human load square in the middle of my side yard about once a week.
I'm pretty sure he has a mental disorder of some type.
I imagine he probably doesn't work at anything other than a sideshow.
Who, the judge?
If I were a kid and my best friend, my cat was taken away from me because of "some crazy old lady" next door, I would mad at her and my parents. After all, cats don't have to go out; they could have just kept it in the house.
The kid's mad at everybody, but can't take it out on his parents as they're too close, so he takes it out in a passive aggressive way with the complainant.
No huge deal, just a mistreated child who'll probably be screwed up from this for the rest of his life.
There are two types of people in this world: those that are able to shrug off comments/insults/teasing/innocent or ignorant remarks, whatever in stride; and those that have to take offense at every freaking thing that is said to them to the point that they have to get the law involved.
After reading this thread, I guess it's ok for a 14 yr old to harass a 78 yr old as long as it's under the right circumstances. I disagree and I own 5 cats.
Hopefully,the young man will learn some respect and leave her alone. If it were me, I would be concerned.
Dogs are used to attack fleeing criminals, detect drugs, detect bombs, find survivors, find the deceased, hunt, retrieve game, guard property and are actually like people. I'll take a dog any day.
Her age is really irelevant. I've had a theory for many years now; cranky crabby types simply turn into old cranky crabby types. Age should excuse cranky crabby behavior.
Dogs are used to attack fleeing criminals, detect drugs, detect bombs, find survivors,...
Agreed. True for all people, not just dog owners.
Does the judge get paid to spend 90 days on a ruling?
As I understand it, most judges are disordered.
That being said, this case shouldn't even be considered a matter for judicial decision.
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