Granted that we have very few solid details here, but this certainly has all the marks of blind bureaucratic ZTosity.
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.”
Zombies! Obviously a teen psychopathic terrorist!
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.
I’m sure that’s at least slightly misspoken (presumably it’s any threatening matter involving a school or function), but that still sounds pretty goofy, since what consitutes a threat, or a credible threat, or what “threats” are actually protected by the First Amendment, are all very open questions.
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.”
Ah. He’s being held for violation of the double negative rule. That seems clear now.
No, really — consider what it means that you cannot write anything that might be considered “threatening” to a school or school function, for fear of drawing a felony charge. “I wish Principal Gorpley would get hit by a train.” Something that simple could send you to work camp with Bubba. Yeesh.
On Thursday, a judge raised Poole’s bond from one to five thousand dollars after prosecutors requested it, citing the seriousness of the charge.
“We realize now how ridiculous this is, so our only hope to avoid public ridicule is to invoke the Big Lie.”
Again, yeesh.
(via BoingBoing)
If these fears were in place back in the day we’d have no Stephen King et al. How many budding young authors will now have to keep writings in super secret places fearing their own family members or end up not even writing for fear of persecution? Yes, Amerika, the country of the “free”
A bit more skeptical (but still disturbing) review of what new facts about the story we know.