Student Arrested After Talking About Gunman

Student Arrested After Talking About Gunman

news.aol.com

During a class discussion of Monday's massacre at Virginia Tech, the student "made comments about understanding how someone could kill 32 people," university police Cmdr. Brad Wiesley said.

Several witnesses told investigators the student said he was "angry about all kinds of things from the fluorescent light bulbs to the unpainted walls, and it made him angry enough to kill people," according to a police report. Witnesses "said they were afraid of him and afraid to come to class with him," Wiesley said.

The student, identified by police as Max Karson of Denver, was arrested Tuesday on suspicion of interfering with staff, faculty or students of an education institution. He had a court appearance set for Wednesday afternoon.

(visit the link for the full news article)

Is this where it starts?

Is this going to be the excuse to arrest people for what they think?

My heart goes out to those that lost their lives that day. I hope this isnt a sign of things to come.

news.aol.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

[edit on 4/19/2007 by xout1]

Not All Speech Is "Free"

Whatever the details, this guy reportedly gave enough people concern to merit an arrest for "interfering with staff, faculty or students of an education institution," which is apparently illegal in Colorado.

The student, identified by police as Max Karson of Denver, was arrested Tuesday on suspicion of interfering with staff, faculty or students of an education institution. He had a court appearance set for Wednesday afternoon.

In any case, freedom of speech does not grant immunity from the consequences of saying stupid things.

I disagree with arresting this guy. If the Virginia Tech incident has taught people anything it's that people who feel this way need to be encouraged to come forward and seek help BEFORE going on a shooting rampage.

These types of people who feel this way will now clam up because they can see they'll be thrown in jail for seeking help. I believe this person was seeking help. Now we'll just see a continuation of the problem rather than a solution thanks to this arrest.

This kind of arrest is a basic knee jerk reaction and is thoughtless in what its apparently seeking to do, i.e. protect people.

[edit on 20/4/07 by subz]

Umm... what does that even mean? "Interfering with staff"? If they are having a discussion about it and someone strays from the party line they are "suspected of interfering" while the others are not? Ridiculous, what are they going to charge him with, 'improper thought conduct'? Terrible example of how people can let something, which in itself is horrible, cloud their judgment...

[edit on 20-4-2007 by WestPoint23]

His court appearance was set for Wed. You posted this on Friday.

What happened at his court appearance? Anything?

Something I heard a long time ago applies here well: "You're free to say whatever you like. You're also free to get a fist to the face when you say something that makes someone else mad."

Consequences for actions are a natural part of life. I liken it to Newton's Third Law of Motion: every action has an equal and opposite reaction. It's a physical law that applies to everything in the universe, bar none that we've observed yet. This is no different.

TheBorg

Originally posted by TheBorg
Something I heard a long time ago applies here well: "You're free to say whatever you like. You're also free to get a fist to the face when you say something that makes someone else mad."

I'd be careful with that line of reasoning, take your signature for example

"Ridding the world of stupid people, one stupid person at a time."

That could easily be construed as an intention to kill people you deem "stupid". It's not a stretch to have you convicted for the same kind of crime mentioned in the OP.

Nevermind, I looked up the court hearing myself.



He was released on.. (drumroll please)... $1,000 bond and:

the judge stipulated the terms of his bond meant Karson could not drink liquor or possess a weapon, must undergo pre-trial supervision and could have no contact with the CU campus.

The Yeti Arrested

The horror!

[edit on 4/20/07 by makeitso]

Several witnesses told investigators the student said he was "angry about all kinds of things from the fluorescent light bulbs to the unpainted walls, and it made him angry enough to kill people," according to a police report. Witnesses "said they were afraid of him and afraid to come to class with him,"

Ok, see he's saying it made him angry enough to kill people. You can't do this. You can't kill people just because you don't like the light bulbs, or paint. What is WRONG WITH PEOPLE.

Originally posted by TheBorg
Something I heard a long time ago applies here well: "You're free to say whatever you like. You're also free to get a fist to the face when you say something that makes someone else mad."

This isn't the 'Wild West' or some lawless country it's the US. Where we are supposed to have laws, regulations and procedures based on rational thought and reason, not emotion and attitude. Considering that the police are the ones who took action, this calls into question just whose rights they are defending here...

Originally posted by subz
I'd be careful with that line of reasoning, take your signature for example

"Ridding the world of stupid people, one stupid person at a time."

That could easily be construed as an intention to kill people you deem "stupid". It's not a stretch to have you convicted for the same kind of crime mentioned in the OP.

Now now, there's this thing called "context". Don't take something someone says out of context. If you do, and misunderstand them, then I think that's just as bad, if not worse, than what the person really said.

For example, if we read the rest of my signature, we see the following:

Under Title 47, Chapter 5, Subchapter II, Part I, Section 223(C), TheBorg expressly denies and disclaims any and all intention to annoy, abuse, threaten, or harass any person, during all written communications, in whole or in part, delivered by means of the Internet. ALL POSTINGS "AS IS".

Now, with that said, it needs to be understood that nothing that I say should ever be misconstrued as anything but MY OPINION. Opinions are like arses... everyone has one.

TheBorg

P.S. [Edit to add] Do I think he needed to be arrested for that? Not at all. I think what should happen though, is that he should at least be ignored from now on. It's always been my contention that when someone says something stupid, they are just ignored, as it's of no consequence.

[edit on 20-4-2007 by TheBorg]

Originally posted by Shar
Ok, see he's saying it made him angry enough to kill people. You can't do this.

Of course you cannot do it, but can you say it, given the context? How many times have you said, that just makes me want to (fill in blank) when you're upset or angry about something. Will we now start to arrest everyone on the spot for such remarks. Lets draw the line here...

Originally posted by TheBorg
Now now, there's this thing called "context". Don't take something someone says out of context. If you do, and misunderstand them, then I think that's just as bad, if not worse, than what the person really said.

Kind of like what happened to this guy, maybe?

[edit on 20-4-2007 by WestPoint23]

Originally posted by WestPoint23Will we now start to arrest everyone on the spot for such remarks. Lets draw the line here...

Agreed, seconded, and accepted. Can we move on now please??? Pretty Please???!?!?!

TheBorg

Of course you cannot do it, but can you say it, given the context?

Well he should not of been that angry in a classroom discussion. When your having an argument with a friend or other and say, "I'm going to kill you" most of the time it's not real and you say your sorry. However, this kid, was truly saying, "He wanted to kill, cause of paint and lightbulbs, etc..." to me there is a difference.

But Shar, how can anyone ever be SURE of that? We can't. We're merely taking the word of the media, and those there at the time for truth. Remember, there's always two sides to any story. I'd like to hear his, to be fair of course. Remember also, innocent till proven guilty.

TheBorg

and those there at the time for truth

So do you think his classmates and teacher is making this up? Saying he said, "he wanted to kill...." when he didn't say this at all? If he did say this and backed his statement with those words. Then he too is saying he needs help.

Previously posted posted on 4/18/2007 @ 02:05 PM

Originally posted by Shar
So do you think his classmates and teacher is making this up? Saying he said, "he wanted to kill...." when he didn't say this at all?

Now I never said that either. What I was saying is that maybe, just maybe, he was misunderstood. Haven't you ever been talking to someone, and had them take something you said the wrong way? This could have happened here, and it just got out of control from there. I don't know the whole story, which is my main contention. I'm not going to take the media's slanted story on this without the accused's position on it. We need him to make a statement on this incident before I make a decision on how I feel about it.

TheBorg

We need him to make a statement on this incident before I make a decision on how I feel about it.

I agree, we need to know more. Get to know his state of mind. Maybe that's why this happen. To see where his true thinking is. Sometimes when things is this hot of a subject, people should think before they speak.