Texas teen faces 8 years in prison for violent “lol” joke during video game
Now it seems that video games are a target in the continuing “War Against Boys”.
A Texas teenager who has been in jail since March faces an eight-year prison sentence because of a threatening joke he made while playing an online video game.
In February, Justin Carter was playing “League of Legends” — an online, multiplayer fantasy game — when another player wrote a comment calling him insane. Carter’s response, which he now deeply regrets, was intended as joke.
“He replied ‘Oh yeah, I’m real messed up in the head, I’m going to go shoot up a school full of kids and eat their still, beating hearts,’ and the next two lines were lol and jk,” said Jack Carter, Justin’s father, in a statement to a local news channel.
The statements “lol” and “jk” — meaning “laughing out loud” and “just kidding” — indicate that Justin’s statement was entirely sarcastic, said his father.
But a Canadian woman who saw the post looked up Carter’s Austin address, determined that it was near an elementary school, and called the police. Carter was arrested one month later, and has been in jail ever since. He recently celebrated his 19th birthday behind bars.
Authorities charged him with making a terrorist threat. If convicted, he will face eight years in prison.
“These people are serious. They really want my son to go away to jail for a sarcastic comment that he made,” said the elder Carter.
Authorities noted that recent school shootings like the one in Newtown, Connecticut have caused them to evaluate all potential threats seriously. Newtown was still fresh in their minds at the time of Carter’s arrest.
“In light of recent situations, statements such as the one Justin made are taken seriously,” said an Austin police detective in a statement.
Carter’s father said his son didn’t follow the news at all….
Carter’s parents have launched a change.org petition to convince Texas Attorney General Greg Abbot to release their son…A hearing to review Carter’s case is scheduled for July 1.
Texas teen makes violent joke during video game, is jailed for months (The Daily Caller)
Comments
Listen to the slithering justification of the official functionary: “In light of recent situations, statements such as the one Justin made are taken seriously,” said an Austin police detective in a statement.
Of course, they don’t take them seriously — not the LOL and the JK part. Another circus clown in a state costume, trying to justify official idiocy with the old “We’re just doing our job” routine.
A few years ago, if I recall correctly, the Texas State Police asked the legislature to amend the sex offender registration system because it was getting so packed with minor, petty offenders that they didn’t have time to focus on the dangerous ones.
Duh . . . why would they not have time . . . a case like this is a crime against trees, a total waste of resources. If I were the judge I’d glare at the prosecutor and pound my fist on the table and yell “Get this crap out of my courtroom! Dismissed!” Judges need to be held accountable when they indulge these idiotic antics of the police and prosecutors.
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