Posted on 07/06/2011 2:09:59 PM PDT by The Magical Mischief Tour
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - When 18-year-old Tyell Morton put a blow-up sex doll in a bathroom stall on the last day of school, he didn't expect school officials to call a bomb squad or that he'd be facing up to eight years in prison and a possible felony record.
The senior prank gone awry has raised questions of race, prosecutorial zeal and the post-Columbine mindset in a small Indiana town and around the country, The Indianapolis Star reported in its Tuesday editions.
Legal experts question the appropriateness of the charges against Morton, and law professor Jonathan Turley at George Washington University posed a wider question about Morton's case on his legal blog.
"The question is what type of society we are creating when our children have to fear that a prank (could) lead them to jail for almost a decade. What type of citizens are we creating who fear the arbitrary use of criminal charges by their government?"
(Excerpt) Read more at wsmv.com ...
You are the one who is incorrect. PapaBear3625 said a felony conviction, not being charged with a felony, would ruin the kids chances, and he is correct. You might try reading and understanding before your next comment, altho I will bet you don't.
I gather the doll was in the package, and the hoodie student likely wasn’t even thinking “bomb scare.” He was thinking “disgust some students, teachers, and administrators with a stupid sex toy, and keep it a secret who brought the toy.” With no intent to create a bomb scare, it’s a stretch to criminal mischief on anything, let alone an institution. If the hoodied package carrier was such a risk, why did it take video surveillance, rather than a passer-by, to raise the alarm? I bet a lot of students saw him and to a one they thought no big deal, this is somebody’s show and tell.
Dangus said, “Just give an 18-year old a felony conviction so he can never get a decent job.”
My guess with a name like Tyrell, the kid probably already had a feloney record history. (Note I said “probably”)
Dangus said, “Just give an 18-year old a felony conviction so he can never get a decent job.”
My guess with a name like Tyrell, the kid probably already had a feloney record history. (Note I said “probably”)
Opps, I meant “Tyell”
Jonathan Turley’s right on this - something very totalitarian is happening in the former ‘land of the free’.
The cops were called in and all they found was a blow-up sex doll.
That’s a lot of clarity for this early in the morning.
True, though.
The ultimate objective is to make everybody a felon. Kid won’t be able to possess a firearm or ammunition, either.
The Lautenberg amendment divests those who are convicted of misdemeanor domestic violence, and in some cases, no conviction, just a restraining order.
You bring up a really good point; the question I would next ask is "What time was it?". If this were done either late at night, or early in the morning - then the school was correct in calling in a bomb squad to check out a suspicious package. During the day, if this were larger or was not a typical package - the student would be questioned.
But, pressing charges for something as harmless as this is ridiculous. If it had been a big box of soap; no charges would have been filed. This is a case where who ever is in charge; is too immature or mentally incompetent to hold the job they have been assigned. They should be removed from this position, as they have demonstrated that they are incapable of dealing with the responsibility of that job.
As for calling the Bomb squad to review a suspicious package - I would dare say that 90+% of the calls a bomb squad gets; are packages that were suspicious in nature, but contained harmless contents. The bomb squad is paid to check for dangerous packages, and in the few 'real' cases; to diffuse the bomb or detonate it under controlled circumstances. Calling the Bomb Squad was a safe, sane, practical and intelligent thing to do. What followed is pure incompetence.
Good thing I wasn’t an 18 year old in this era. Some of my old college pranks were legendary. :)
Excellent point.
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