Zombie Story gets student thrown in jail

[Xath]

This part makes it a bit more scary to me though...It was posted on a blog of someone who goes to this kid's school (if it can be believed)

That’s my school. Consider this if you’re wondering about the boy’s creditbility: his initial story was that it was a short story for vocational school (yeah, the place where you learn carpentry and welding, not creative writing). Then it switched to an English assignment. Funny thing is, he doesn’t have an English class this semester. He’s also been involved in a number of fights and assaults on campus. His sister is even worried because she read what he wrote and she says it’s no zombie story. He had the sites of the cameras on campus mapped out and had timed out how quickly the police could arrive on campus. Heretofore, his grandparents have done everything they could to keep him out of jail.

 

[reveal]

Thanks for the info. I was hoping that this kid had a history and that the cops weren't just being doofuses.

 

[Darth K'Trava]

There is a world of difference between a "hit list" containing names of school officials and students, and a story about zombies.

The only similarity is how serious the schools are taking things they perceive as being dangerous. This kid's zombie story make be a load of hokey but they don't know that..... or at least the blurb isn't saying much... It's just like those hit lists I mentioned. The first may have been serious, but I betcha the rest were copycats.

 

[Captain Howdy]

This part makes it a bit more scary to me though...It was posted on a blog of someone who goes to this kid's school (if it can be believed)

Can you provide a link?

(BTW, sorry I started the other thread on the same subject, didn't check to see if it was already posted. )

 

[Thornir Alekeg]

I find this a sad commentary on the state of free speech and freedom of expression in the USA. I hope this case is (justly) tossed out of court once a judge with brains sees it.

Mmmm...BRAINS!!!

 

[Wormwood]

There is a world of difference between a "hit list" containing names of school officials and students, and a story about zombies.

Not in the brave new world of "zero tolerance".

 

[Stone Angel]

Good lord...I would love to hear Lewis Black rave about this one.


for those of you who don't know Black is a topical comic that I find hillarious.


Seriously this is BS. What if he had written that the school had saved the world from hunger, violence, and general ill will. Maybe they would have nominated him for a peace prize.


The Seraph of Earth and Stone

 

[Villano]

Can you provide a link?

(BTW, sorry I started the other thread on the same subject, didn't check to see if it was already posted. )

I did a little search and found the link: http://jpeacock.net/mt/mt-comments.cgi?entry_id=347

You'll have to look through it to find the comment. Most of the posts are the typical "Everyone's paranoid" and "America is a terrible place to live." However, there are a few good points mixed amongst them.

Here's one from the local newspaper. As you can see, it's quite different from the "poor boy arrest for zombie story" article:

By TIM WELDON/Sun Staff Writer

Winchester police have arrested a George Rogers Clark High School junior whom they allege was attempting to organize an armed takeover of the school.

William Poole, 18, of 426 E. Broadway, was arrested at GRCHS Tuesday. Acting on a tip from a family member, police reported that he was attempting to "recruit a gang to take over the school," according to Detective Berl Perdue.

The threat involved the use of weapons, according to Purdue. "He didn't have a gang, but he was attempting to organize one," he said. Purdue added that no threat was made against a specific individual.

GRCHS Principal John Atkins said he could not comment on whether Poole has been in disciplinary trouble at the school due to confidentiality reasons. He did comment that, "I know him."

Police recovered writings in which Poole allegedly attempted to convince other students to participate in an armed takeover. He was being held this morning at the Clark County Detention Center. During a hearing in Clark District Court this morning, Poole's bond was increased from a $1,000 to a $5,000 cash bond based on a prosecution motion.

Atkins said he has been unable to share some information with students and staff about the incident due to the continuing investigation. Classes continued normally Wednesday and today and there have been no problems, Atkins said.

"We did not have any concern that students had weapons at school," he said. "We don't know who's included in this. That's what we're working on, to see if there were other individuals involved. ... We're not sure that there are."

- Managing Editor Jennifer Ginn contributed to this story.
https://secure.townnews.com/winchestersun.com/forms/letters/index.php

Another poster brought up some good points:

And to Dementia, consider this: The grandparents found his journal threatening. The cops found his journal threatening. The school administration found his journal threatening. The cops investigated for four days before they arrested him. The judge found the evidence against him so convincing that he upped the bail. The kid himself is quoted in an article that he only wrote a short story about zombies invading a school. The newspaper does not confirm that the journal contains a short story. No teacher confirms that there was any such assignment. In fact, no one confirms that there was really a short story, all we have is the word of a kid desparate to get out of jail. WHo are the real zombies?

And:

You know, I find it very amusing that everyone is all up in arms because some high school kid got arrested for something, and claimed to be innocent.

From my experience, EVERYONE that gets arrested claims they're innocent. Are we going to rally to their aid as well?

 

[Raloc]

(snip) This kid's zombie story make be a load of hokey but they don't know that.....

The threat of the undead in our post-modern society is VERY REAL. Even now, the undead could be infesting YOUR child's school. Watch those janitors cafefully ladies and gentlemen, they're out there.

I'm fairly sure it's safe to assume that they know that a story about ZOMBIES is *ahem* NOT REAL. Honestly, people are crossing over into the realm of stupidity when they start prosecuting kids over stories about fictional creatures. Arrest every fiction writer in the world now, because they're all offenders too (myself included)!

Edit: Though, perhaps he didn't even write a story, but my opinion that arresting a kid over a story involving zombies would be ridiculous.

 

[Greatwyrm]

It's all fun and games until someone gets their brain eaten.