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Snowball Thrown at Officer Draws Felony for Boy, 13, Outrage From Residents
DNA Info Chicago ^ | 2-21-14 | Darryl Holliday

Posted on 02/21/2014 6:27:05 PM PST by RKBA Democrat

A day after a boy was arrested and charged with a felony for throwing a snowball at a police officer, students outside George Leland Elementary continued to build snowmen and throw snowballs at each other after school.

According to police, a 13-year-old boy was charged as a juvenile with felony aggravated battery against a police officer Wednesday after he hit the officer in the arm with a snowball while the officer was parked in his vehicle in the 4900 block of West Congress Parkway about 3:20 p.m.

Residents sounded off on the crime and punishment the next day, many describing the charge as police "going overboard."

"It's not fair," said Mary Grant, a longtime resident of the block. The boy "was being hardheaded, but that's very harsh. The officer should've tried something different than arrest."

The boy is believed to be a student at Leland Elementary School, formerly May Elementary, which sits at the southeast corner of the intersection near where the snowball was thrown. Officials at the school acknowledged that the incident occurred but declined to comment.

"I think that's ridiculous — it's such a big charge," said Latanya Powell, a construction worker on the block. "It's just going overboard. I can see if it were a weapon and harm was done, but it was just a snowball.

"This is a case of kids being kids."

Like other residents on the block, Powell wondered whether the charge would stain the boy's record well into his adult years, hurting his chances of finding a job, housing and education.

Often, findings on juveniles found delinquent do not remain part of their permanent record.

But according to Ray Fields, an educator and resident of the block, the charge and arrest were justified.

"If [the boy] had gotten away with it, who's to say what they'd do next? If it doesn't stick to them now, they'll be 16 or 17, and they'll have a gun," Fields said, adding that he has experience with local teens as a teacher and was the victim of a home burglary by neighborhood teens in 2010.

"If we as parents and educators don't teach them right from wrong, then what are we teaching them?" Fields added, arguing that the charge could help the boy change his ways before a more serious incident occurs.

Police did not provide further details on the case Thursday night.


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Extended News; US: Illinois
KEYWORDS: chicago; donutwatch; illinois
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To: Recovering Ex-hippie; doc1019

I’d like to hear the whole story, too.

I’d be willing to bet money that the incident didn’t start and end with a single snowball being tossed.

Maybe the cop was a jerk. Maybe he was a good guy who over-reacted. Maybe the snowball was the last straw in a long series of taunts and harassment.

What passes for reporting in most of these stories strikes me as propaganda for one side or the other. Real reporting would answer the basic questions that any average reader would have. It wouldn’t advocate for one side or the other. This article seems to be trying to make the kid look like the victim.


61 posted on 02/22/2014 7:28:01 AM PST by generally (Don't be stupid. We have politicians for that.)
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To: freeangel

Apparently not, or they would have mentioned it. Let’s be careful not to read our own experiences into this.


62 posted on 02/22/2014 8:35:46 AM PST by Shimmer1 (If fudge could sing, it would sound like Barry White)
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To: generally

Excellant points. That was my concern, but you said it very well.


63 posted on 02/22/2014 10:09:09 AM PST by Recovering Ex-hippie
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To: Gabz

As soon as you said 1-8 that says it all. Most (though obviously not all) elementary schools do not go that high. There are what are known as junior high school or middle school.

I am guessing you went to a private school. Personally I think it is nuts to have 13-14 year olds in the same area as those who are 6-7


64 posted on 02/22/2014 1:32:07 PM PST by Nifster
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To: Nifster

I went to Catholic schools in NYC. The local public school was k-6 and the junior high was 6-9 - but they were in the same building. The public high schools were 9-12 because they had to accommodate the kids from the 1-8 schools.

The district where I live in Virginia is a bit strange, most of the elementary schools are k-5, middles school is 6-8, and 9-12 for the high school - with 2 exceptions. There are 2 islands which have their own schools even though they are part of the same district. One island town is one school k-12, the other has 2 schools, k-5 and 6-12.


65 posted on 02/22/2014 3:12:52 PM PST by Gabz (Democrats for Voldemort.)
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To: Gabz

When I went to school (back in the dark ages), elementary school (public because parochial schools did it differently) was k-6, junior high school was 7-9, and high school was 9-12. I know that California did things differently even then. When my child went to school in California it was elementary k-5, middle school 6-8, and high school 9-12.

In very small districts I can see k-12 or even the k-5 and 6-12 break. My grandmother taught in a one room school house where every one who wanted to learn was there. those were very different times.


66 posted on 02/22/2014 8:16:38 PM PST by Nifster
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To: RKBA Democrat

A well balanced person would smile and throw a snowball back at the kid.

A government employee? Well....


67 posted on 02/26/2014 9:10:33 AM PST by Altariel ("Curse your sudden but inevitable betrayal!")
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To: Gabz

Punishing the kid? For throwing a snowball?

A normal person would throw a snowball back at the kid.

Easy PR for the police department “Look what a great guy we hired-—”


68 posted on 02/26/2014 9:11:54 AM PST by Altariel ("Curse your sudden but inevitable betrayal!")
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To: Nifster

“Elementary” schools may encompass up through 8th grade; children thus go directly from Elemenatary to high schools in such districts.


69 posted on 02/26/2014 9:12:49 AM PST by Altariel ("Curse your sudden but inevitable betrayal!")
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To: freeangel

If there was a rock, I’m sure we would already have heard about it.


70 posted on 02/26/2014 9:14:28 AM PST by Altariel ("Curse your sudden but inevitable betrayal!")
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To: lightman

Headline should have read:
Office “ N. O. Balls was hit by a AK-47 Snowball!”
??? God’s truth;
I personally have thrown horse manure at a Miami policeman( Fitzhugh Lee and his Brother Harry a Deputy Sheriff and their Brother in Law, Chief of Miami Police, Leslie Quigg, who later was the Mayor). I was about 13-14 at the time and there was no penalties! 1946 Miami Dade Co. Florida.
I was the only one SOBER!


71 posted on 02/26/2014 9:33:19 AM PST by GOYAKLA (Waiting for the Golden Screw to be removed from Obama's navel and his a$$ falls off!)
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To: Altariel
Punishing the kid? For throwing a snowball?

Ah yup....happened to me more than once.

72 posted on 02/26/2014 10:09:07 AM PST by Gabz (Democrats for Voldemort.)
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To: Gabz

Perhaps it did.

However, that does not make it a punishment worthy offense.


73 posted on 02/26/2014 10:18:47 AM PST by Altariel ("Curse your sudden but inevitable betrayal!")
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To: Altariel

So you have no problem with kids pelting just anyone with a snowball? I was raised differently I guess.

I said the charges in this case were over the top - but didn’t say it was right to randomly throw snowballs at people you don’t know.


74 posted on 02/26/2014 11:54:01 AM PST by Gabz (Democrats for Voldemort.)
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To: Gabz

Assuming no rocks or ice in the center, I assume childish play or harmless prank when the target is another child or a healthy adult of sound mind.

Rocks or ice? Different ball of wax. Mentally handicapped or physically handicapped individual? Different story.

A person of sound mind would laugh it off and throw a snowball back at the kids.


75 posted on 02/26/2014 12:02:01 PM PST by Altariel ("Curse your sudden but inevitable betrayal!")
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To: RKBA Democrat

“”If [the boy] had gotten away with it, who’s to say what they’d do next? If it doesn’t stick to them now, they’ll be 16 or 17, and they’ll have a gun,” Fields said, adding that he has experience with local teens as a teacher and was the victim of a home burglary by neighborhood teens in 2010.”

Because throwing snowballs invariably leads to burglary.


76 posted on 02/26/2014 12:03:10 PM PST by Altariel ("Curse your sudden but inevitable betrayal!")
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To: RKBA Democrat

Well, there goes the rap career.....


77 posted on 02/26/2014 12:03:23 PM PST by exit82 ("The Taliban is on the inside of the building" E. Nordstrom 10-10-12)
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To: bgill

Exactly. This is harmless childhood fun.

But in Chicago, children are learning they can only have State-approved fun. Or else.


78 posted on 02/26/2014 12:05:28 PM PST by Altariel ("Curse your sudden but inevitable betrayal!")
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To: plainshame

Because of this felony and thousands of other non-violent “felonies” ordinary people commit.


79 posted on 02/26/2014 12:07:38 PM PST by Altariel ("Curse your sudden but inevitable betrayal!")
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To: Altariel
A person of sound mind would laugh it off and throw a snowball back at the kids.

Obviously when I was growing up there were plenty of people who were not of sound mind according to you.

One just did not throw snowballs at adults unless permitted to do so, either by the adult joining in or the adult's past joining, and even that sometimes didn't work.

80 posted on 02/26/2014 1:33:43 PM PST by Gabz (Democrats for Voldemort.)
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