A 21-year-old college student and musician was sentenced Wednesday to three years' probation for posting threats against President Barack Obama on Facebook, a case a federal judge said underscored the perils of impulsive Internet use.I'm happy Judge Cooke didn't put him in jail, but house arrest and 3 years of probation seems like a lot to me. I do like the idea of requiring him to write something on Facebook.
In addition to the probation, which includes four months' home confinement, U.S. District Judge Marcia Cooke ordered Joaquin Serrapio to write a new Facebook post explaining how messages can have permanent dire consequences.
"I want people to speak out. I want us to have dialogue about issues. But I think some of our young people don't realize that cyberspace is forever," Cooke said after sentencing Serrapio. "When you write something in cyberspace, you are writing it for the world."
Thoughts?
Perhaps he could post a message on facebook explaining how he misspoke, used the wrong words, never meant to hurt anyone, is terribly sorry if he offended anyone...oh wait, those lines are reserved for the politicians. Perhaps we could find a judge to them probation as well.
ReplyDeleteThe kid actually needs some help him sort out his racism and hate. Hopefully he'll get it.
ReplyDeleteWhen you see the threats that this grown man made against the POTUS, I am shocked he is not in jail.
ReplyDeleteMaybe he should have been ordered to have a beer with Obama.
ReplyDeleteThis sentence was necessary for its deterrent effect. For that purpose, it was a light sentence.
ReplyDeleteIf he had threatened a Republican, he'd have been cheered as a folk hero.
ReplyDeleteAnon at 6:45 pm: Racism? Really?
If he had threatened a Republican, he'd have been cheered as a folk hero.
ReplyDeleteAnon at 6:45 pm: Racism? Really?