Court shoots down man's joke (Man imprisoned for practical joke)

Charlotte Observer ^ | 5/4/02 | nichole monroe bell

[visagoth]

Court shoots down man's joke

Charlotte Observer

A macabre practical joke has landed a Chester County man 15 years in federal prison without parole.

In May 2000, Jeffrey Price Barber, 44, tried to play a joke on his wife by firing a round from a .22-caliber rifle, smearing ketchup on his face and body, then lying on the floor in a bedroom of his house, according to a statement released Friday by the U.S. Attorney's Office in Columbia.

His wife, after hearing the shot and seeing her husband covered in what she thought was blood, called 911. A sheriff's deputy who arrived at the scene found Barber and the rifle with one spent round of ammunition. Investigators later found several other guns and ammunition at Barber's home, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.

Because previous felony convictions for violent crimes prohibited him from having a gun, Barber was charged with illegally possessing the .22-caliber rifle, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office. The previous convictions also meant Barber faced a mandatory sentence of 15 years to life. Barber was sentenced in federal court in Columbia on Thursday.

Barber, who pleaded guilty to the offense, must serve five years of supervised release after getting out of jail.

[Dan Day]

This is just another example that Darwinism does not apply to the human race.

Sure it does.

Darwinism is "the stupid animals will kill themselves off so they dont produce, more stupid animals."

Well, there's a lot more to it than that, but even by your limited definition, stupid people still often kill themselves off: http://www.darwinawards.com/

[Dan Day]

I would've thought, "this is my chance for a freebie!" plugged the sucker a second time.

Check out the film "Double Jeopardy" sometime... It explores that territory.

[Blood of Tyrants]

I'm not laughing.

[Andy from Beaverton]

Does this put an end to stepping on ketchup packets while standing next to someone??? I can just see the victim saying, "I heard a loud pop and looked down and saw blood all over my leg. I thought I was shot."

[HoustonCurmudgeon]

The closest I ever came to doing something like this was when I was working on the roof one winter day. My wife left for the store and I put my coat, hat, gloves and boots in the snow, face down, and went inside to watch a football game.

I told you some months ago that if you keep this type thing up, you will be as hated as the first, 11th Earl of Mar was!!! ;-) She may do to you what the Scots wanted to do to him.