Welcome to DU!
The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards.
Join the community:
Create a free account
Support DU (and get rid of ads!):
Become a Star Member
Latest Breaking News
General Discussion
The DU Lounge
All Forums
Issue Forums
Culture Forums
Alliance Forums
Region Forums
Support Forums
Help & Search
General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: Undercover cop begs autistic kid to break the law, then arrests him [View all]RainDog
(28,784 posts)46. I assume you're talking about Justin Leboy
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/tony-newman/attractive-undercover-cop_b_1277330.html
http://www.change.org/petitions/palm-beach-mayor-gail-coniglio-stop-sending-undercover-officers-into-your-high-schools
Working at the Drug Policy Alliance for the last twelve years I have read and heard countless stories of people having their lives ruined because of our country's cruel war on drugs. Last weekend, the nationally syndicated show This American Life highlighted a story that is so insane, you don't know whether to laugh or puke.
Last year in three high schools in Florida, several undercover police officers posed as students. The undercover cops went to classes, became Facebook friends and flirted with the other students. One 18-year-old honor student named Justin fell in love with an attractive 25-year-old undercover cop after spending weeks sharing stories about their lives, texting and flirting with each other.
One day she asked Justin if he smoked pot. Even though he didn't smoke marijuana, the love-struck teen promised to help find some for her. Every couple of days she would text him asking if he had the marijuana. Finally, Justin was able to get it to her. She tried to give him $25 for the marijuana and he said he didn't want the money -- he got it for her as a present.
...This story is not unique to Florida and it reminds me of 18-year-old Mitchell Lawrence, a young man from Great Barrington, Mass., who served two years in jail for selling a joint to an undercover cop. The officer befriended Lawrence and his friends and would hang out with them. One day the cop asked if Lawrence had any weed. Lawrence gave the cop a joint. The cop handed him $20. Lawrence hesitated, but the cop insisted on giving him the money. "Selling" the joint, because they were hanging out less than a 1000 feet from a school, and thus was considered a "drug free school zone," carried a mandatory minimum two-year sentence.
Last year in three high schools in Florida, several undercover police officers posed as students. The undercover cops went to classes, became Facebook friends and flirted with the other students. One 18-year-old honor student named Justin fell in love with an attractive 25-year-old undercover cop after spending weeks sharing stories about their lives, texting and flirting with each other.
One day she asked Justin if he smoked pot. Even though he didn't smoke marijuana, the love-struck teen promised to help find some for her. Every couple of days she would text him asking if he had the marijuana. Finally, Justin was able to get it to her. She tried to give him $25 for the marijuana and he said he didn't want the money -- he got it for her as a present.
...This story is not unique to Florida and it reminds me of 18-year-old Mitchell Lawrence, a young man from Great Barrington, Mass., who served two years in jail for selling a joint to an undercover cop. The officer befriended Lawrence and his friends and would hang out with them. One day the cop asked if Lawrence had any weed. Lawrence gave the cop a joint. The cop handed him $20. Lawrence hesitated, but the cop insisted on giving him the money. "Selling" the joint, because they were hanging out less than a 1000 feet from a school, and thus was considered a "drug free school zone," carried a mandatory minimum two-year sentence.
http://www.change.org/petitions/palm-beach-mayor-gail-coniglio-stop-sending-undercover-officers-into-your-high-schools
In Florida, selling any amount of marijuana is a felony. And selling on or near a high school comes with even harsher penalties--a law likely intended to protect teenagers but that in practice gives them longer sentences than their adult counterparts. Justin spent a week behind bars, was convicted of a felony and sentence to three years probation.
Justin had planned to go into the air force after college. Now, with a felony conviction, he won't be permitted to serve in any part of the military and will find it considerably harder to get decent job, as most places hesitate to hire ex-felons.
For many, the word felon elicits the image of someone who is untrustworthy and potentially violent. I don't believe that charge fairly describes Justin Laboy. It strikes me that I could have made the same mistake if put in his position. Ask yourself if you or someone you respect might have done the same. Your kids? A friend or sibling? Would that person deserve to be labeled a felon for the rest of his life?
In Palm Beach County the police have already used this tactic to arrest and convict over 80 students at numerous high schools. And sadly, this tactic is not unique to sunny Palm Beach.
Justin had planned to go into the air force after college. Now, with a felony conviction, he won't be permitted to serve in any part of the military and will find it considerably harder to get decent job, as most places hesitate to hire ex-felons.
For many, the word felon elicits the image of someone who is untrustworthy and potentially violent. I don't believe that charge fairly describes Justin Laboy. It strikes me that I could have made the same mistake if put in his position. Ask yourself if you or someone you respect might have done the same. Your kids? A friend or sibling? Would that person deserve to be labeled a felon for the rest of his life?
In Palm Beach County the police have already used this tactic to arrest and convict over 80 students at numerous high schools. And sadly, this tactic is not unique to sunny Palm Beach.
Edit history
Please sign in to view edit histories.
105 replies
= new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight:
NoneDon't highlight anything
5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
RecommendedHighlight replies with 5 or more recommendations
Bastard could teach my dog to fetch a bag of weed, and then have him euthanized for being a menace.
Buzz Clik
May 2013
#1
I admire his entrepreneurial spirit. If business is slow, you go out and drum up some more.
Bucky
May 2013
#2
actually, in this case it was judges who acted wisely and a manner that was NOT corrupt
cali
May 2013
#5
Ah, there were 21 others entrapped and I know it is an affluent area. What's your thing?
xtraxritical
May 2013
#47
I live in the area and Riverside County relies on the police to generate revenue.
xtraxritical
May 2013
#49
It takes a high caliber piece of shit to do something like that to another person. Nt
Hosnon
May 2013
#13
Of course. A few years ago there was the undercover cop who pretended to be some kid's girlfriend
Warren DeMontague
May 2013
#35
The sad thing is the cops are probably thinking revenge for this becoming public.
Spitfire of ATJ
May 2013
#57
they held kid ALL DAY, W/O LAWYER, never called parents, parents terrified of where he was
ZRT2209
May 2013
#71
Apparently that city has too many police officers that they need to rig up charges.
LiberalFighter
May 2013
#79
It hurts to hear about autistic kids being abused like this. But I once saw a case:
JackN415
May 2013
#88