The government throws a man in jail for mocking a girl

[TheGreatGatsby]

Ohio dad gets jail for mocking girl with cerebral palsy | Fox News

Let me preface this by saying that that man was being a total ass wipe. But I don't want the government thinking it's their right to throw people in jail for exercising their first amendment rights. That's every bit as despicable as what that ass wipe did.

 

[Lakhota]

Wow, thanks for bringing us this useful news...

 

[del]

clearly, the america i grew up in is dead.

 

[Avatar4321]

I don't know what's worse, the fact that this guy did this, or the fact that the government thinks they should infringe on our free speech rights because of it.

 

[Lakhota]

Let's all pray on it...

 

[waltky]

Gatsby wrote: But I don't want the government thinking it's their right to throw people in jail for exercising their first amendment rights.

So ridiculing a disabled girl is your idea of free speech??

Avatar wrote: I don't know what's worse, the fact that this guy did this, or the fact that the government thinks they should infringe on our free speech rights because of it.

So you don't know the difference either???

Judge Sentences Ohio Man to 29 Days in Jail for Imitating Disabled Girl's Limp
November 28, 2012 - In an apparent case of rudeness being elevated to criminality, a 43-year-old Ohio man has been sentenced to 29 days in jail for mocking a ten-year-old girl with cerebral palsy.

Canton (Ohio) Municipal Judge John A. Poulos ordered the maximum sentence for William Bailey, who pleaded no contest Tuesday to reduced misdemeanor charges of disorderly conduct and aggravated menacing, the Associated Press reported. According to the The (Canton) Repository, Bailey was captured on a cellphone video imitating the way the girl, who uses crutches and has trouble walking.

An earlier report in The Repository said Bailey and his nine-year-old son walked away from the bus stop, dragging one leg. They were videotaped by the girl's mother, Tricia Knight, who took the video to local television stations, where it was played on-air. William Bailey reportedly said he was reacting to name-calling and taunts directed at his son by the Knight family.

Municipal Court Judge John A. Poulos on Tuesday ordered Bailey to report to the Stark County Jail on Jan. 2 to begin a 29-day sentence. The Repository said he must also pay $400 in court costs plus fines. Bailey apologized to the girl and her family in court. Jennifer Fitzsimmons, Canton’s assistant city prosecutor, was quoted as saying, "It's unfortunate that it had to come to this,” but she also said the case would bring "recognition to the problem" of bullying.

MORE & Video

 

[OKTexas]

Just reading the story, no way should he have taken a plea. Should have taken a chance in fornt of a jury.

 

[Unkotare]

Someone should have just beaten the stupid motherfucker to within an inch of his life and left it at that.

 

[Unkotare]

Just reading the story, no way should he have taken a plea. Should have taken a chance in fornt of a jury.

I'm sure his lawyer told him what would happen if a jury were shown that video.

 

[Darkwind]

Gatsby wrote: But I don't want the government thinking it's their right to throw people in jail for exercising their first amendment rights.

So ridiculing a disabled girl is your idea of free speech??

Avatar wrote: I don't know what's worse, the fact that this guy did this, or the fact that the government thinks they should infringe on our free speech rights because of it.

So you don't know the difference either???

Judge Sentences Ohio Man to 29 Days in Jail for Imitating Disabled Girl's Limp
November 28, 2012 - In an apparent case of rudeness being elevated to criminality, a 43-year-old Ohio man has been sentenced to 29 days in jail for mocking a ten-year-old girl with cerebral palsy.

Canton (Ohio) Municipal Judge John A. Poulos ordered the maximum sentence for William Bailey, who pleaded no contest Tuesday to reduced misdemeanor charges of disorderly conduct and aggravated menacing, the Associated Press reported. According to the The (Canton) Repository, Bailey was captured on a cellphone video imitating the way the girl, who uses crutches and has trouble walking.

An earlier report in The Repository said Bailey and his nine-year-old son walked away from the bus stop, dragging one leg. They were videotaped by the girl's mother, Tricia Knight, who took the video to local television stations, where it was played on-air. William Bailey reportedly said he was reacting to name-calling and taunts directed at his son by the Knight family.

Municipal Court Judge John A. Poulos on Tuesday ordered Bailey to report to the Stark County Jail on Jan. 2 to begin a 29-day sentence. The Repository said he must also pay $400 in court costs plus fines. Bailey apologized to the girl and her family in court. Jennifer Fitzsimmons, Canton’s assistant city prosecutor, was quoted as saying, "It's unfortunate that it had to come to this,” but she also said the case would bring "recognition to the problem" of bullying.

MORE & Video

It IS free speech, and we all know the difference.

Do you really think this assholes behavior rises to a jail sentence?


Wow.

 

[Darkwind]

Someone should have just beaten the stupid motherfucker to within an inch of his life and left it at that.

This I can agree to.

 

[TheGreatGatsby]

Gatsby wrote: But I don't want the government thinking it's their right to throw people in jail for exercising their first amendment rights.

So ridiculing a disabled girl is your idea of free speech??

Avatar wrote: I don't know what's worse, the fact that this guy did this, or the fact that the government thinks they should infringe on our free speech rights because of it.

So you don't know the difference either???

Judge Sentences Ohio Man to 29 Days in Jail for Imitating Disabled Girl's Limp
November 28, 2012 - In an apparent case of rudeness being elevated to criminality, a 43-year-old Ohio man has been sentenced to 29 days in jail for mocking a ten-year-old girl with cerebral palsy.

Canton (Ohio) Municipal Judge John A. Poulos ordered the maximum sentence for William Bailey, who pleaded no contest Tuesday to reduced misdemeanor charges of disorderly conduct and aggravated menacing, the Associated Press reported. According to the The (Canton) Repository, Bailey was captured on a cellphone video imitating the way the girl, who uses crutches and has trouble walking.

An earlier report in The Repository said Bailey and his nine-year-old son walked away from the bus stop, dragging one leg. They were videotaped by the girl's mother, Tricia Knight, who took the video to local television stations, where it was played on-air. William Bailey reportedly said he was reacting to name-calling and taunts directed at his son by the Knight family.

Municipal Court Judge John A. Poulos on Tuesday ordered Bailey to report to the Stark County Jail on Jan. 2 to begin a 29-day sentence. The Repository said he must also pay $400 in court costs plus fines. Bailey apologized to the girl and her family in court. Jennifer Fitzsimmons, Canton’s assistant city prosecutor, was quoted as saying, "It's unfortunate that it had to come to this,” but she also said the case would bring "recognition to the problem" of bullying.

MORE & Video

Is the first amendment based upon you can say what you want but only if you're really nice about it? We start throwing guys like this in prison today and tomorrow it's protestors against the government.

 

[TheGreatGatsby]

Just reading the story, no way should he have taken a plea. Should have taken a chance in fornt of a jury.

I'm sure his lawyer told him what would happen if a jury were shown that video.

Given that it's not a jury's job to decide the Constitutionality of that law, I can see that. Perhaps, he felt remorse and felt the punishment fit the crime for himself personally. And that's fine. But my point is that we are supposed to have our freedom of speech protected and not punished.

 

[del]

Just reading the story, no way should he have taken a plea. Should have taken a chance in fornt of a jury.

I'm sure his lawyer told him what would happen if a jury were shown that video.

Given that it's not a jury's job to decide the Constitutionality of that law, I can see that. Perhaps, he felt remorse and felt the punishment fit the crime for himself personally. And that's fine. But my point is that we are supposed to have our freedom of speech protected and not punished.

your understanding of the first amendment is non-existent.

 

[OKTexas]

Just reading the story, no way should he have taken a plea. Should have taken a chance in fornt of a jury.

I'm sure his lawyer told him what would happen if a jury were shown that video.

Disorderly conduct maybe but:

2903.21 Aggravated menacing. Not so much.

(A) No person shall knowingly cause another to believe that the offender will cause serious physical harm to the person or property of the other person, the other person’s unborn, or a member of the other person’s immediate family.

Lawriter - ORC - 2903.21 Aggravated menacing.

Just making fun of a person does not put them in fear for their bodly safety, and there was nothing in the story that indicated he did so. Lets keep it real.

 

[TheGreatGatsby]

Just reading the story, no way should he have taken a plea. Should have taken a chance in fornt of a jury.

I'm sure his lawyer told him what would happen if a jury were shown that video.

Disorderly conduct maybe but:

2903.21 Aggravated menacing. Not so much.

(A) No person shall knowingly cause another to believe that the offender will cause serious physical harm to the person or property of the other person, the other person’s unborn, or a member of the other person’s immediate family.

Lawriter - ORC - 2903.21 Aggravated menacing.

Just making fun of a person does not put them in fear for their bodly safety, and there was nothing in the story that indicated he did so. Lets keep it real.

Good post. I figured the law was unconstitutional. Turns out they were just abusing the law.

 

[Unkotare]

Just reading the story, no way should he have taken a plea. Should have taken a chance in fornt of a jury.

I'm sure his lawyer told him what would happen if a jury were shown that video.

Disorderly conduct maybe but:

2903.21 Aggravated menacing. Not so much.

(A) No person shall knowingly cause another to believe that the offender will cause serious physical harm to the person or property of the other person, the other person’s unborn, or a member of the other person’s immediate family.

Lawriter - ORC - 2903.21 Aggravated menacing.

Just making fun of a person does not put them in fear for their bodly safety, and there was nothing in the story that indicated he did so. Lets keep it real.

A decent lawyer would have no problem making the case for the menacing part.

 

[Barb]

His wife told Fox8.com that this is all part of an ongoing dispute and that Hope's family has called her son names

who pleaded no contest Tuesday to reduced misdemeanor charges of disorderly conduct and aggravated menacing.

So there was an ongoing dispute, and it wasn't just mocking, the man (teaching his son, as the son was doing it too) plead to menacing the little girl.
Read more: Ohio dad gets jail for mocking girl with cerebral palsy | Fox News

 

[Grandma]

It IS free speech, and we all know the difference.

Do you really think this assholes behavior rises to a jail sentence?


Wow.

No, it is NOT free speech. It's bullying. A grown man mocking a disabled child can also be seen as menacing.

"Free speech" NEVER means one has the right to torment another. Ask any attorney that's worked a domestic abuse case.

 

[squeeze berry]

so can we be arrested for "menacing" on a discussion board?