There is an interesting case out of Connecticut where police reportedly arrested Francis Laskowski, 58, after he allegedly said that understood why a killer recently went on a rampage and killed nine people in the state. Someone at Fusco Management Co. promptly called police.
Omar Thornton killed nine people at Hartford Distributors in Manchester.
Laskowski was charged with breach of peace for reportedly expressing his understanding of the killer’s mindset.
If true, I fail to see the crime. Stating that you understand the motivations of a killer is protected speech under the first amendment. There is no question that the company has a right to investigate such statements to establish the employee is not a danger to others. However, this story lacks any fact to base a criminal charge on.
Source: NBC.
I don’t suppose we can use the same legal logic to have them arrest everyone expressing agreement with Dubya’s invasion of Iraq or his enhanced interrogation techniques? Maybe arrest anyone who agrees with the unconstitutional ban on gay marriage?
Plenty of crimes out there, funny how selectively that hand of the law works..
I understand why Son of Sam killed people, I always do what neighbors dog tells me to do
And if my thought-dreams could be seen
They’d probably put my head in a guillotine..
Dylan
and if he was a kid in school he’d still be expelled.
Aren’t there some statistical studies re suicidal thoughts + impulsive murder + access to guns?
I complained to DOJ that I was incarcerated for 4-5 months without an offense being charged, an arraignment, a bail hearing, any of the 6th Amendment Rights. In response, the Chief Deputy U.S. Marshal in Madison WI emailed to someone else at USMS and it included two forwarded email to and from parties at USMS. One of the emails, to a John Noory, says that it is a “brief from the operations supervisor concerning Ms Sieverding. The case before Chief Judge Nottingham is voluminous concerning Ms. Sieverding’s contemptible attitude”.
Well, he’s out on bail and scheduled to appear next Tues. in court … that is if Connecticut still has courts … maybe they’ve morphed into an action arm of the Department of Homeland Security and their citizens no longer enjoy the right of free speech or thought.
Perhaps they have become an unincorporated territory or commonwealth like Puerto Rico or the United States Virgin Islands or perhaps another district like D.C. … whatever the case, I do believe that by stripping their citizens of the right to free speech they have lost any right to be represented by voting members in congress … it’s going to mess up the flag, 49 instead of 50 stars … which is good news for the flag industry …..
You know what really nice, is we can agree to disagree. This as I understand it from the host is the full expression of your First Amendment Rights without the risk of repercussions, such as being banned from the site, having your posts deleted because they go contrary to the ideal(s) being expressed. I have had some deleted because, lets say, they were less than civil in discourse. Sometimes I can call you a Jackass without using those words.
In the words of a number of folks here but specifically quoting and paraphrasing FF LEO. This is the best site around. I may chose to read your post and ignore the posters that offend me. But I do not have the right to tell you, you cannot post what you think here so long as its civil. That is the beauty of this site…..
Isn’t it great that most people are not incarcerated because of the thoughts in ones mind?
Thought-provoking:
Dr. Boyce: It’s Time To Confront Workplace Racism [OPINION]
http://newsone.com/nation/boycewatkins/dr-boyce-omar-thornton-killings-and-workplace-racism-opinion/
This goes beyond racism, in my opinion, though I’m certainly not denying that workplace racism is a huge problem and one that needs to be addressed. This is about adults harassing and bullying other adults, regardless of color or race, which isn’t to excuse the shooter’s response. We need to tackle all forms of workplace violence, including racism, bullying, harassment, and “mobbing.” Why are we surprised when people “snap”, and what are we really doing to prevent these tragedies — tragedies for all of those involved.
I understand why Oswald shot Kennedy. The late, great attorney Willam Kunstler even argued that the world was better off without the Kennedy brothers. Is that also a crime?
a.n.
I seem to agree.
AY: Getting closer, it would seem. In the meantime, best to be oh, so careful about what one says.
(On one news site, none of the 30+ comments about the CT shooting can be viewed, which seems odd.)
What was that yeah, yeah I know Tom Cruise movie where they convict you for your thoughts? Ah yes, Minority Report….are they here yet?
If you work at a chit hole & understand why people would be prone to shoot some of the worst aholes there it’s now a crime!?!?!?
Wow, gonna have a LOT of people in jail!!!
Just jumpy after the prior crime, I suspect. The guy did sound a little menacing, but while an investigation was warranted, a criminal charge seems excessive if no accessible weapon or other indicia of intent to harm was found.