Kentucky Student Arrested For Terroristic Threatening (WTF!!!)

[Torgo Johnson]

""My story is based on fiction," said Poole, who faces a second-degree felony terrorist threatening charge. "It's a fake story. I made it up. I've been working on one of my short stories, (and) the short story they found was about zombies. Yes, it did say a high school. It was about a high school over ran by zombies."

Even so, police say the nature of the story makes it a felony. "Anytime you make any threat or possess matter involving a school or function it's a felony in the state of Kentucky," said Winchester Police detective Steven Caudill."

http://www.lex18.com/global/story.asp?s=2989614

What in the hell is wrong with these people? He wrote a story about freaking zombies. I did not realize that brain-eating was such an threat to Kentucky high school students. What's even worse is that the prosecutors asked for higher bail due to the "seriousness" of the charge and the judge agreed. What's next? Are they gonna arrest Joss Whedon when he visits Kentucky because he showed high school students being victimized by vampires???


I used to think Bush's reelection would signal a crawl toward fascism.
Now I realize it is going to be a all-out sprint.

[Emboldened Chimp]

1. As a writer, I must say this is seriously fucked up

What more can I say?

[acmavm]

2. Sounds to me like anything that would survive by eating brains is a goner

in the state of Kentucky.

[MSgt213]

3. This is a joke right? Tell me people aren't this fucking stupid. I mean

I know a lot of us are fucking stupid because Bush is running the country but come on.

[opihimoimoi]

4. He must be PUNISHED I tell ya...Punished.

To Violate the Patriot Act is going against the Mandate of the PEOPLE.

Stone the kid to death as in Genesis 24:3

To the Wall with him.

Ok ok I was being sarcastic/facetious......

Come, we go sky dive

[tx_dem41]

5. This is an old version of the story I believe...

more has come out since.

http://www.winchestersun.com/articles/2005/03/16/local_news/news01.txt

Apparently his story might (and I say might) be falling apart.

"During last week's preliminary hearing, Winchester police Detective Steve Caudill pointed out that in no place in his writings did Poole refer to zombies. He also testified that Poole's teachers denied any knowledge of his writings. Caudill also asserted that Poole had contacted acquaintances in an effort to recruit a gang.

After receiving e-mail correspondence from more than 80 individuals, Winchester Mayor Dodd Dixon responded to each of them on March 9, declining to comment on the evidence, but asking questions of those who quickly came to Poole's defense based on what they read on the Internet."

[atommom]

7. Yes, it now appears he didn't tell the press the truth.

[bin.dare]

16. even so, get a load of this ...

"A threat directed at a person or persons or at a school does not need to identify a specific person or persons or school in order for a violation of this section to occur," the law reads.

http://www.splc.org/printpage.asp?id=977&tb=newsflash

=============
so when we say "fuck them all" or "a pox on both their houses" we are making terroristic threats. jeez.

[tx_dem41]

6. Another follow-up to the story.

http://www.kentucky.com/mld/kentucky/news/11086999.htm

"However, Poole's teachers told police they had not assigned such a story or talked to him about it -- and had they seen it, they would have been obligated to report him to authorities.

And, as it turns out, Poole's writings include no brain-eating dead folks.

What they do contain, Winchester police Detective Steven Caudill testified yesterday, is evidence that he had tried to solicit seven fellow students to join him in a military organization called No Limited Soldiers."

[karlrschneider]

14. I'm not all that impressed with this "follow-up". It still looks like a

work of fiction...

[tx_dem41]

15. Well, one thing we know is...

that his initial statement to the press is most likely a work of fiction. And, we'll be able to tell for sure when the evidence is unsealed.

[CindyDale]

8. Well, here is more about it

It's not just a story, according to the detective:

Caudill testified that at least seven acquaintances of Poole's reported that Poole had attempted to recruit them into a gang, but that none of them were interested.

<snip>

Caudill also read from a letter sent by an unnamed person who was referred to as a "colonel" in the Barbourville organization, promising to aid Poole with weapons and money. In one passage, Caudill testified the person in Barbourville admitted breaking into homes and said he had thousands of dollars and 50 guns at his disposal.

http://www.winchestersun.com/articles/2005/03/09/local_news/news01.txt

[yankeeinlouisiana]

9. I guess they didn't watch

Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

Hopefully, the kid will get off and show how stupid this charge is. And maybe, just maybe, this won't happen again in the future.

[tx_dem41]

10. You have read the followups posted in this thread, haven't you? n/t

[Torgo Johnson]

11. Sorry.

I thought the Tuesday mentioned in the article meant yesterday.

It sure says something about the Bush's administration's civil liberties record that his story could have been thought of as plausible.


One thing I am not going to recant is that the country is heading dangerously close to fascism

[tx_dem41]

13. No reason to be sorry....

the story's still up in the air somewhat. And, I agree with your last statement, 100%

[Dorian Gray]

12. My husband, while in college

was arrested. He was charged with "Terroristic Threatening." This was in 1992. It's a common charge. What did my husband do? He made prank phone calls.

While I agree with you that the story is most likely innocuous, and it's stupid that they are charging him at all, the charge itself is the appropriate one for his arrest. (It has nothing to do with the 9-11 terrorism that we think of associated with that word.)