docwebster ([personal profile] docwebster) wrote2005-03-01 10:36 am

Oh, for the love of all that's holy..

Student Arrested For Terroristic Threatening Says Incident A Misunderstanding

"A George Rogers Clark High School junior arrested Tuesday for making terrorist threats told LEX 18 News Thursday that the "writings" that got him arrested are being taken out of context.

Winchester police say William Poole, 18, was taken into custody Tuesday morning. Investigators say they discovered materials at Poole's home that outline possible acts of violence aimed at students, teachers, and police.

Poole told LEX 18 that the whole incident is a big misunderstanding. He claims that what his grandparents found in his journal and turned into police was a short story he wrote for English class.

"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.

Poole disputes that he was threatening anyone.

"It didn't mention nobody who lives in Clark County, didn't mention (George Rogers Clark High School), didn't mention no principal or cops, nothing,"
said Poole. "Half the people at high school know me. They know I'm not that stupid, that crazy."

On Thursday, a judge raised Poole's bond from one to five thousand dollars after prosecutors requested it, citing the seriousness of the charge.

Poole is being held at the Clark County Detention Center."

Robert Heinlein got it just wrong. These aren't The Crazy Years. These are The Utterly Barking Mad Years.

[identity profile] nsingman.livejournal.com 2005-03-01 05:02 pm (UTC)(link)
This isn't new to the Reign of the Shrub. Brian Dalton of Ohio was convicted (on child pornography charges) in 1998 for writing some disgusting stories in his private diaries. That was arguably worse than the Poole case, since Dalton's work wasn't shared by him with anyone else.

In any event, one either supports free expression, or one doesn't. The fact that there even is such a crime as "terroristic threats" demonstrates that most people really don't.

[identity profile] foxsynergy.livejournal.com 2005-03-02 04:52 pm (UTC)(link)
Jeez. Anything a person does in their own space and their own time (especially if it isn't to be shared with others) should be their own kripping beeswax.

Damn stupid paranoid oligarchy.

[identity profile] darthgeek.livejournal.com 2005-03-03 04:55 am (UTC)(link)
FWIW, Brian Dalton's writings weren't just fictional stories with no basis in reality. They named specific people (relatives of his) that he wanted to sexually assault. He had previously been convicted on sexual assault (or attempted), so, it's not like this was an out of the blue thing.