19 year old given $500,000 bail for Facebook status

[Barrister]

Some punk kid types some stupid shit on the internet and you throw him in jail for months on end? That's some deeply stupid, dysfunctional shit.

Agreed, but not nearly so dysfunctional as those say "Yeah, he deserved it" and no doubt there are probably 'commentators' now joking about the rape of a teenager in prison.

To be fair, mostly what I've heard people saying is, "What an idiot." No one, to my knowledge, thinks he deserves four months in prison, to be raped and beaten, and to be kept in isolation naked "for his own protection" over this. At the same time, he posted something insanely stupid two months after someone went postal at an elementary school.

He doesn't deserve what he go, but he was supremely stupid.

Agreed.  Several months in jail isn't called for here, but some sort of action was warranted...

[Neil]

Some punk kid types some stupid shit on the internet and you throw him in jail for months on end? That's some deeply stupid, dysfunctional shit.

Agreed, but not nearly so dysfunctional as those say "Yeah, he deserved it" and no doubt there are probably 'commentators' now joking about the rape of a teenager in prison.

To be fair, mostly what I've heard people saying is, "What an idiot." No one, to my knowledge, thinks he deserves four months in prison, to be raped and beaten, and to be kept in isolation naked "for his own protection" over this. At the same time, he posted something insanely stupid two months after someone went postal at an elementary school.

He doesn't deserve what he go, but he was supremely stupid.

Agreed.  Several months in jail isn't called for here, but some sort of action was warranted...

Should you be trying to lock me up?

[garbon]

Seems like an odd thing to saw. Generally when people say law enforcement, they think about the police and generally the people they handle haven't been judged guilty of the crimes they are being convicted for.

Not really.  Law enforcement is the entire process from arrest to trial and judgement.  Enforcement of the laws is not subjecting people to extensive abuse for months on end who have not even been judged guilty.  Heck doing it for convicts is pretty unjust.  But to you that is 'enforcing the laws'? 

Correct me if I am wrong but I thought the Constitution was the supreme law of the land.  How exactly is this consistent with the eighth or the sixth?

I'll freely cite wiki in this instance.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Law_enforcement

Although the term may encompass entities such as courts and prisons, it is most frequently applied to those who directly engage in patrols or surveillance to dissuade and discover criminal activity, and those who investigate crimes and apprehend offenders

[Neil]

So you hate the police.  How do you feel about judges and lawyers?

[Valmy]

Agreed.  Several months in jail isn't called for here, but some sort of action was warranted...

Right...a grand jury hearing and a trial.  I thought the controversy here was the several months in jail plus high bail part.

[Malthus]

Agreed.  Several months in jail isn't called for here, but some sort of action was warranted...

A stern talking-to?

Charging this kid with an actual offence is a waste of public resources, assuming the facts are as stated.

[Barrister]

Agreed.  Several months in jail isn't called for here, but some sort of action was warranted...

A stern talking-to?

Charging this kid with an actual offence is a waste of public resources, assuming the facts are as stated.

Disagree.

First, while he might be a "kid", he's 19 and legally an adult (and thus responsible for his actions).

This is a pretty clear cut offence of Uttering Threats.

[Eddie Teach]

This is why BB will be first against the wall.

To clarify, this is a prediction and not a threat. I will not be putting him up against any walls.

[crazy canuck]

Disagree.

First, while he might be a "kid", he's 19 and legally an adult (and thus responsible for his actions).

This is a pretty clear cut offence of Uttering Threats.

Then you should probably be calling the authorities to make sure Brain gets arrested immediately.  The guy wants to nuke Texas after all.

[MadBurgerMaker]

Is someone staying in jail (not prison) until their court date due to not being able to pay bail a new concept here?

[The Brain]

Disagree.

First, while he might be a "kid", he's 19 and legally an adult (and thus responsible for his actions).

This is a pretty clear cut offence of Uttering Threats.

Then you should probably be calling the authorities to make sure Brain gets arrested immediately.  The guy wants to nuke Texas after all.

Thanks a lot. Canadians just can't keep their mouths shut.

[MadBurgerMaker]

Speaking of posting bail, CdM, you were a bail bondsman, yes?  How does that shit work?  You guys take the 10%, hand over the full amount to the city/county or whoever, then when the dude shows up you get that back plus keep the 10%?

[crazy canuck]

Is someone staying in jail (not prison) until their court date due to not being able to pay bail a new concept here?

The amount of the bail in the circumstances of this case are the issue.

Also at issue is the reason the criminal justice system got involved in this at all.

[crazy canuck]

Disagree.

First, while he might be a "kid", he's 19 and legally an adult (and thus responsible for his actions).

This is a pretty clear cut offence of Uttering Threats.

Then you should probably be calling the authorities to make sure Brain gets arrested immediately.  The guy wants to nuke Texas after all.

Thanks a lot. Canadians just can't keep their mouths shut.

I am sorry that you will be the victim of an overzelous prosecutor.  If it is any comfort to you I hear there is a possibility that you will be held in a jail that has a farm work detail.

[Malthus]

Agreed.  Several months in jail isn't called for here, but some sort of action was warranted...

A stern talking-to?

Charging this kid with an actual offence is a waste of public resources, assuming the facts are as stated.

Disagree.

First, while he might be a "kid", he's 19 and legally an adult (and thus responsible for his actions).

This is a pretty clear cut offence of Uttering Threats.

Uttering Threats are are dime a dozen right here on Languish. 

This is why prosecutors ought to use their discretion. In this case, there was no specific target named and the circumstances tended to indicate the "threat" wasn't meant seriously. The details were fantastical - I mean, really, he's "threatening" to commit cannibalism. Of the still-beating heart of a child.

I've "threatened" to bake babies into matzoh more than once, in response to a "Jew Lawyer" jibe.  Is that a "clear-cut offence of uttering threats"?