Teen arrested for ranking looks of classmates on Facebook.

Post by pyre » Fri, May 13, 2011, 10:37 PM UTC

VladRussian wrote: post #6

tokenadult wrote: post #3

The linked Chicago Tribune report http://triblocal.com/oak-park-river-forest/2011/05/10/studen... hardly provides any more detail. What is the basis for the disorderly conduct charge? AFTER EDIT: Thanks for the helpful comments. It sounds like the kid in question might be able to get the charges dismissed, with help from a competent constitutional lawyer.

>What is the basis for the disorderly conduct charge? absence of any other vaguely formulated charge that could have been stretched enough to cover this case. I mean, if the ranking list was factually incorrect, they would bring a libel.

Post by mike_esspe » Fri, May 13, 2011, 10:40 PM UTC

tzs wrote: post #24

f1gm3nt wrote: post #4

So, instead of cracking down drug dealers and gangs they decide to arrest a minor for making a list of how hot/ugly the girls are at his school? Glad to see the police force there is hard at work.

If you draw some line and say "we are only going to work on crimes more serious than this", you are in effect saying that anyone is free to do the crimes that don't make the cut. That would be a pretty crappy society in which to live. It's much better to devote some effort to the less serious crimes too. The more serious ones should be the priority.

Post by VladRussian » Fri, May 13, 2011, 10:53 PM UTC

pyre wrote: post #31

VladRussian wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>What is the basis for the disorderly conduct charge? absence of any other vaguely formulated charge that could have been stretched enough to cover this case. I mean, if the ranking list was factually incorrect, they would bring a libel.

I wasn't aware that libel suits were brought by prosecutors. I though that it was civil law. Or am I mistaking that for slander?

Post by nitrogen » Fri, May 13, 2011, 11:13 PM UTC

nevinera wrote: post #26

VladRussian wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

existence of drug dealers and gangs supports and promotes the police force and power increase. Getting habit of freely expressing your non conformist opinions is a path to subversion of existing power (dis)balance.

Really? You think this is part of a careful long-term plan, motivated by a fundamental characteristic of municipal power structure? I would lean toward 'officer applying vaguely worded rules to make the law behave as he feels it ought to', but yours is certainly easier to get behind. Fuck the man!

Post by nevinera » Sat, May 14, 2011, 1:27 AM UTC

nitrogen wrote: post #37

nevinera wrote: post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Really? You think this is part of a careful long-term plan, motivated by a fundamental characteristic of municipal power structure? I would lean toward 'officer applying vaguely worded rules to make the law behave as he feels it ought to', but yours is certainly easier to get behind. Fuck the man!

It doesn't have to be a careful long-term plan. I suspect a lot of "conspiracies" are actually emergent behavior in the system of laws and incentives.