Teen jailed for Facebook comment learning prison is not so much fun

[tikigods 76]

The family of Justin Carter, the 19-year old Texas gamer who made offensive Facebook comments that landed him in jail, is working with new urgency to get his $500,000 bail reduced because they say he's getting beat up while behind bars.

"Without getting into the really nasty details, he's had concussions, black eyes, moved four times from base for his own protection," says Carter's father, Jack. "He's been put in solitary confinement, nude, for days on end because he's depressed. All of this is extremely traumatic to this kid. This is a horrible experience."

Carter has been in jail since a February arrest. After Justin finished playing the online game League of Legends, where the community trash-talking can get quite toxic, court documents show he posted the following messages on a Facebook page:

"I think Ima shoot up a kindergarten / And watch the blood of the innocent rain down/ And eat the beating heart of one of them."

Carter's father says his son was responding to an insult by being sarcastic, and followed the message with "JK" for just kidding, but that's disputed by police.

In April, a grand jury in Comal County, Texas, indicted Carter on a charge of making a terroristic threat, and a judge set bail at $500,000. The high bail has kept Carter imprisoned while his case moves through the court process.

"I have been practicing law for 10 years, I've represented murderers, terrorists, rapists. Anything you can think of. I have never seen a bond at $500,000," says Carter's attorney, Don Flanary.

The charge is a third-degree felony, which in Texas, carries up to 10 years in prison. The Comal County District Attorney's office hasn't responded to our calls, but police in New Braunfels, Texas, who have investigated the case, say in a time of heightened sensitivity to school shootings, their interest is in preventing violence when they can.

"The whole situation is kind of unfortunate," said New Braunfels Police Lt. John Wells. "We definitely understand the situation that Mr. Carter is in, however he made the comments, and it is an offense. We have to ... protect the general public and specifically, in this case, with it involving schoolchildren, we have to act. We take those very seriously."

Carter's father says his son's past five months of "suffering quite a bit of abuse" behind bars don't fit the crime. "He says he's really sorry. He just got caught up in the moment of the game and didn't think about the implications," Jack Carter says.

An online petition for Justin Carter's release has gotten nearly 40,000 signatures, and attorney Flanary got a new hearing set for July 16 to bring up issues of his abuse and to try to get bond lowered so Carter can go home to await trial.

If convicted, Carter could face up to 10 years in prison.

 

 

http://www.npr.org/blogs/alltechconsidered/2013/07/03/198129617/teen-jailed-for-facebook-comment-reportedly-beat-up-behind-bars?utm_source=npr&utm_medium=facebook&utm_campaign=20130703

 

[Phurfur 70]

We are the Great Society.

[tikigods 76]

Texas doesn't mess around with their justice.

[phillybear 364]

Free speech is completely dead.

[NorthernVike 2,079]

Fock him.

[porkbutt 860]

i wish he was black so we could riot in the streets if convicted

[jerryskids 5,169]

Fock him.

That seems too simplistic IMO. $500K bail for a Facebook rant? Perhaps I am a little too close to this, because my 17 yr old son plays Warcraft and their language gets pretty salty. Luckily he thinks Facebook is stoopid so he doesn't have an account (smart kid).

[Phurfur 70]

Fock him.

First him then you.

 

That's how they getcha'!

[jerryskids 5,169]

First him then you.

 

That's how they getcha'!

Yep. Today's Facebook is tomorrows lightly trafficked fantasy football bored.

 

By my count phillybear has racked up 9287340192 charges alone, with bail set at the national debt, squared.

[tikigods 76]

the title of this story should be:

 

Internet Tough guy gets pounded in the ass

[Phurfur 70]

Yep. Today's Facebook is tomorrows lightly trafficked fantasy football bored.

 

By my count phillybear has racked up 9287340192 charges alone, with bail set at the national debt, squared.

This is not about Facebook Comrade!

[tikigods 76]

ESPN just changed their comment policy from anonymous posters to Facebook linked. I'm guessing to eliminate trolling. I can't imagine that people would want to link their true identities to some of their message board rantings.

[Phurfur 70]

ESPN just changed their comment policy from anonymous posters to Facebook linked. I'm guessing to eliminate trolling. I can't imagine that people would want to link their true identities to some of their message board rantings.

or put their picture in their Avatar.

 

ETA: especially if you look like a Dork!

[JackARoot 2]

Here's a link to the Texas Statute:

 

http://www.bakers-legal-pages.com/pc/2207.htm

 

 

Sec. 22.07. TERRORISTIC THREAT. (a) A person commits an offense if he threatens to commit any offense involving violence to any person or property with intent to:

(1) cause a reaction of any type to his threat by an official or volunteer agency organized to deal with emergencies;

(2) place any person in fear of imminent serious bodily injury; or

(3) prevent or interrupt the occupation or use of a building; room; place of assembly; place to which the public has access; place of employment or occupation; aircraft, automobile, or other form of conveyance; or other public place; or

(4) cause impairment or interruption of public communications, public transportation, public water, gas, or power supply or other public service.

( An offense under Subdivision (1) or (2) of Subsection (a) is a Class B misdemeanor. An offense under Subdivision (3) of Subsection (a) is a Class A misdemeanor. An offense under Subdivision (4) of Subsection (a) is a felony of the third degree.

 

 

I think this is seriously focked up. The State should have a big problem proving intent.

[TimmySmith 2,782]

Seems like Darwin at work.

[TimmySmith 2,782]

Here's a link to the Texas Statute:

 

http://www.bakers-legal-pages.com/pc/2207.htm

 

 

Sec. 22.07. TERRORISTIC THREAT. (a) A person commits an offense if he threatens to commit any offense involving violence to any person or property with intent to:

(1) cause a reaction of any type to his threat by an official or volunteer agency organized to deal with emergencies;

(2) place any person in fear of imminent serious bodily injury; or

(3) prevent or interrupt the occupation or use of a building; room; place of assembly; place to which the public has access; place of employment or occupation; aircraft, automobile, or other form of conveyance; or other public place; or

(4) cause impairment or interruption of public communications, public transportation, public water, gas, or power supply or other public service.

( An offense under Subdivision (1) or (2) of Subsection (a) is a Class B misdemeanor. An offense under Subdivision (3) of Subsection (a) is a Class A misdemeanor. An offense under Subdivision (4) of Subsection (a) is a felony of the third degree.

 

 

I think this is seriously focked up. The State should have a big problem proving intent.

2 questions are how did they know it was him?, and how did they know where he was?

[MDC 5,877]

Absent any reason to think this kid might actually shoot up a kindergarten or intended his rant as an actual threat, $500k bail and possibly 10 years o jail time seems insane.

 

Texas.

[tikigods 76]

Is this kid white? I'm assuming because he had internet access and owned a computer.

[MDC 5,877]

Is this kid white? I'm assuming because he had internet access and owned a computer.

Also if he was black his name would be Jus'Tynn.

[JackARoot 2]

2 questions are how did they know it was him?, and how did they know where he was?

My main question is how do they prove that he intended to "(4) cause impairment or interruption of public communications, public transportation, public water, gas, or power supply or other public service." From an offhand Facebook comment?

[JT 137]

Is this kid white? I'm assuming because he had internet access and owned a computer.

 

Plus, aside from the gratuitous "Ima", his spelling and grammar were pretty solid.

[tikigods 76]

Also if he was black his name would be Jus'Tynn.

 

[Phurfur 70]

Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn't pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same, or one day we will spend our sunset years telling our children and our children's children what it was once like in the United States where men were free.

- Ronald Reagan

 

[tikigods 76]

Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn't pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same, or one day we will spend our sunset years telling our children and our children's children what it was once like in the United States where men were free.

- Ronald Reagan

 

So it's ok to make terrorist comments?

[Phurfur 70]

 

So it's ok to make terrorist comments?

 

Would like to know what it was like in the USA when we were free?

 

 

They, who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety.

- Ben Franklin

 

[NewbieJr 540]

 

Would like to know what it was like in the USA when we were free?

 

 

They, who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety.

- Ben Franklin

 

Answer the question, Geezer. Threatening to shoot up a kindergarten and drink the kids' blood should not be punishable?

[tikigods 76]

 

Would like to know what it was like in the USA when we were free?

 

 

They, who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety.

- Ben Franklin

 

 

Reagan advocated for prayer in school which is a clear violation of the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment. Why did Reagan hate the Constitution?

[NewbieJr 540]

Free speech is completely dead.

And if this threat was ignored, and he went on to shoot up a kindergarten a week later, the State would have been sued for billions when it was found out that this threat was known about and ignored. Free speech does not allow for terroristic threats, Meathead.

[Phurfur 70]

Answer the question, Geezer. Threatening to shoot up a kindergarten and drink the kids' blood should not be punishable?

'Someone had said something to the effect of "Oh you're insane, you're crazy, you're messed up in the head," to which he replied "Oh yeah, I'm real messed up in the head, I'm going to go shoot up a school full of kids and eat their still, beating hearts," and the next two lines were lol and jk,' said Carter."

A Canadian woman saw the posting, and according to the teen's father, the woman called police.

 

[NewbieJr 540]

The part about him saying lol and jk is disputed by police. That sounds like backpedaling.

[parrot 789]

Here's a link to the Texas Statute:

 

http://www.bakers-legal-pages.com/pc/2207.htm

 

 

Sec. 22.07. TERRORISTIC THREAT. (a) A person commits an offense if he threatens to commit any offense involving violence to any person or property with intent to:

(1) cause a reaction of any type to his threat by an official or volunteer agency organized to deal with emergencies;

(2) place any person in fear of imminent serious bodily injury; or

(3) prevent or interrupt the occupation or use of a building; room; place of assembly; place to which the public has access; place of employment or occupation; aircraft, automobile, or other form of conveyance; or other public place; or

(4) cause impairment or interruption of public communications, public transportation, public water, gas, or power supply or other public service.

( An offense under Subdivision (1) or (2) of Subsection (a) is a Class B misdemeanor. An offense under Subdivision (3) of Subsection (a) is a Class A misdemeanor. An offense under Subdivision (4) of Subsection (a) is a felony of the third degree.

 

 

I think this is seriously focked up. The State should have a big problem proving intent.

 

And since he apparently never specified any particular kindergarten it would be tough to argue that he violated either subsection 3 or 4 of the law, the felony sections. Just a ridiculous overreach.

[phillybear 364]

And if this threat was ignored, and he went on to shoot up a kindergarten a week later, the State would have been sued for billions when it was found out that this threat was known about and ignored. Free speech does not allow for terroristic threats, Meathead.

I suddenly have a hankering to go to a school and beat 20 kids to death with a sock full of hot nickels, then use their heads as dodge balls. Seriously.

[NewbieJr 540]

_{I also feel the punishment was too stiff, but he definitely needed to be punished. And those who think this is a freedom of speech issue, don't understand the First Amendment.}

[The Moz 69]

Free speech is completely dead.

So I could look up some of your old posts and send you to Prison....................................

[phillybear 364]

_{I also feel the punishment was too stiff, but he definitely needed to be punished. And those who think this is a freedom of speech issue, don't understand the First Amendment.}

People that restrict free speech are terrorists.

[NewbieJr 540]

People that restrict free speech are terrorists.

You really shouldn't talk about anything except the Seahawks. You are clueless on every other topic.

[The Moz 69]

_{I also feel the punishment was too stiff, but he definitely needed to be punished. And those who think this is a freedom of speech issue, don't understand the First Amendment.}

For something said on a focking message bored? Are you serious here or being sarcastic? At WORST he should of maybe got a 1000 dollar fine and thats at worst.

[phillybear 364]

You really shouldn't talk about anything except the Seahawks. You are clueless on every other topic.

I defend all speech all the time. I'm a hero.

 

You side with the idiots trying to advance an agenda of heavy censorship. You are a limp wristed faggut.

[NewbieJr 540]

For something said on a focking message bored? Are you serious here or being sarcastic? At WORST he should of maybe got a 1000 dollar fine and thats at worst.

 

Did you miss the part where I said the punishment was too stiff?

[NewbieJr 540]

I defend all speech all the time. I'm a hero.

 

You side with the idiots trying to advance an agenda of heavy censorship. You are a limp wristed faggut.

You can't make terroristic threats, nor say anything that will incite a riot. That is for the good of the general public and isn't censorship. This hasn't changed since the First Amendment was drawn up.