MD Man Sentened To Two Years For Threats Against the HRC & Lawmakers

[Carolyn Marie]

https://www.advocate.com/maryland-man-sentenced-threats-hrc

 

 

Carolyn Marie

[awkward-yet-sweet]

While I don't necessarily agree with putting people in prison for speech (even threats not backed up by action), in today's legal climate... how dumb can he be?  Anybody with half a brain knows that just about anything electronic can be tracked...so phone calls and emails and letters are not anonymous.  He's clearly a few sandwiches short of a picnic basket.  Perhaps a couple of years in prison might help him acquire some common sense.

[Carolyn Marie]

4 minutes ago, awkward-yet-sweet said:

While I don't necessarily agree with putting people in prison for speech (even threats not backed up by action), in today's legal climate... how dumb can he be? 

 

Police officers I knew endlessly amused themselves at gatherings by swapping "stupid criminal" stories.  One of our favorites involved a robber who went into an extremely well known cop bar just outside Dodger Stadium to "make an easy hit."  His "career" didn't last long.  😏

 

Carolyn Marie

[awkward-yet-sweet]

12 minutes ago, Carolyn Marie said:

 

Police officers I knew endlessly amused themselves at gatherings by swapping "stupid criminal" stories.  One of our favorites involved a robber who went into an extremely well known cop bar just outside Dodger Stadium to "make an easy hit."  His "career" didn't last long.  😏

 

Carolyn Marie

My husband would say that's a case of a chicken showing up carrying its own cooking pot.  😆🙄  I suspect that a lot of people who do dumb stuff like that story, or this guy from Maryland, are actually suffering from some sort of mental illness, not just stupidity.  Its like their self-preservation instinct got turned off somehow.  IDK about the penal system in Maryland, but I hope they've got some mental health folks on staff.  Its usually called "Department of Corrections" for a reason.  Maybe idealistic, but hopefully his behaviors can get corrected rather than simply punished. 

[KayC]

I DO agree with putting people in prison for specific threats of violence against others or an organization - as the DA in this case stated:

“You have the right to your own opinions, but you don’t have the right to threaten the lives of those who disagree with you. As this case demonstrates, free speech does not include violent threats against others,” U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron for the District of Maryland, said in a statement.

 

And the guy pleaded Guilty too!

 

While I also agree mental health may play a part in a minority of these cases (and a defendant should be allowed to plea such, and be assessed) - we need more of this type action in the current environment to establish boundaries to irrational people and their behavior.  Whatever side of the fence they are on.

I think this case/story is a Positive.  Thank you for sharing @Carolyn Marie!

[VickySGV]

A quick re-read of my Basic Crimes Text Book from law school 49 years ago:

 

Criminal Assault is defined as: "An act placing a person in reasonable fear of harmful or offensive bodily contact!"

 

The case that created that definition Ante-dated the U.S. Constitution by many many years it was based on the statement of one man to another "If it was not the time of the Assize (the time a circuit court of justice was in an area and holding court) I would run you through with my sword."  Sounded like a pretty serious threat, except, yes, the Assize Justices were in town at the time holding a Criminal Court session as was proved by the defendant who made the threat.  Thus no assault in that encounter. 

 

This  guy in MD did not qualify his rantings to show he could not carry out his threats for any reason, and today, deadly or harmful weapons are even more readily available than swords were back in the 1200's when that case was decided, thus fear of the "harmful or offensive bodily contact" is just a wee bit (satire) more likely and reasonable.  In my state, you can be placed involuntarily under a psychiatric hold which puts you in a locked up medical institution for a time determined by doctors and judges as long as you remain a danger in the eyes of the court.  (Which many be more than 2 years. All bases are covered. 

 

History Class Dismissed

[KayC]

20 hours ago, VickySGV said:

History Class Dismissed

Thank you for that lesson, Ma'am 😊🍎

[Charlize]

I am glad that this assault was not allowed to become a crime of assault and battery.

I am curious about the man's use of the word "We".  HJe used that several times and one wonders if he is simply speaking of the politically sick or a specific group he represents.

 

Hugs,

 

Charlize

[Ivy]

1 hour ago, Charlize said:

I am curious about the man's use of the word "We".  HJe used that several times and one wonders if he is simply speaking of the politically sick or a specific group he represents.

Some people assume that most "reasonable" people agree with them.

For example, if everyone you associate with voted Republican, it's hard to believe that an actual majority didn't.

 

Making these threats is a real terroristic tactic to silence someone.

[MaeBe]

To anyone that argues that this person was just "yelling into the wind" and not causing any harm, probably because they hold certain phobias close to their heart, this is the thing that same person would say should have happened AFTER a shooting occurs: "The person was 'known to police' and yet still killed people, why wasn't action taken when they knew he was making threats?"

 

One can only hope that there is a benefit to the incarceration and they are closely monitored after release, because I fear the situation where "time" hardens this sick individual into action.

[Davie]

On 1/15/2024 at 7:05 AM, KayC said:

I DO agree with putting people in prison for specific threats of violence against others or an organization - as the DA in this case stated:

“You have the right to your own opinions, but you don’t have the right to threaten the lives of those who disagree with you. As this case demonstrates, free speech does not include violent threats against others,” U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron for the District of Maryland, said in a statement.

Yes. I was assaulted in this way which resulted in enormous trauma needing lots of therapy from which to recover. Our police department confirmed the offense when I gave a statement. That they did, was important to me and lessened my thoughts of fear and self-harm. And assaults to a senior citizens are now ranked as felonies, resulting in a 20-year prison term. Abuse is abuse.