Kid Charged with Felony for Writing Short Story

[Scrivener]

http://www.lex18.com/Global/story.asp?S=2989614&nav=EQlpWjof

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A George Rogers Clark High School junior arrested Tuesday for making terrorist threats told LEX 18 News Thursday that the "writings" that got him arrested are being taken out of context.

Winchester police say William Poole, 18, was taken into custody Tuesday morning. Investigators say they discovered materials at Poole's home that outline possible acts of violence aimed at students, teachers, and police.

Poole told LEX 18 that the whole incident is a big misunderstanding. He claims that what his grandparents found in his journal and turned into police was a short story he wrote for English class.

"My story is based on fiction," said Poole, who faces a second-degree felony terrorist threatening charge. "It's a fake story. I made it up. I've been working on one of my short stories, (and) the short story they found was about zombies. Yes, it did say a high school. It was about a high school over ran by zombies."

Even so, police say the nature of the story makes it a felony. "Anytime you make any threat or possess matter involving a school or function it's a felony in the state of Kentucky," said Winchester Police detective Steven Caudill.

Poole disputes that he was threatening anyone.

"It didn't mention nobody who lives in Clark County, didn't mention (George Rogers Clark High School), didn't mention no principal or cops, nothing,"

said Poole. "Half the people at high school know me. They know I'm not that stupid, that crazy."

On Thursday, a judge raised Poole's bond from one to five thousand dollars after prosecutors requested it, citing the seriousness of the charge.

Poole is being held at the Clark County Detention Center.

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OMG I can't think of anything to say that dosn't involve salty sailor-speak!!! What a friggin joke! The Kentucky authorities are stepping all over that kids 1st Amendment rights. I'm even more POd since I had something similar happen to me in grade school. No felony, of course, but I got suspended for writing about an abandoned school inhabited by maneating ghosts. That was a Christian School so it's a slightly different matter.

Nevertheless I'm looking into some way to help the poor kid. Protests are difficult since he lives a dozen states away. His grandparents ought to be ashamed of themselves. OMG I just - can't express how friggin angry I am.

[Guest Grayfox]

what do you expect? its kentucky.

lol red blooded patriots right there turning in their own grandkid because they were too stupid to realize what he was really writing about. and the authorities are even worse!

let me know what you can dig up about helping him, ill toss my hat in if i can.

[jamotto]

I'm sure this is just stupidity at it's best however, I would have to read the story myself.

[Kalshion]

Um.. help him?

Why?

If the kid was stupid enough not to write something in the mergin along the line's of "this is only a story based off a fictional enviroment" or "the following is not real" then he wouldn't be in trouble

It'd be just like me and my storys, I have several that the authoritys could consider 'terrorist' due to there nature, but the reason no one has reported them is because I took the proper step's to ensure there legitamacy along with making sure there ok

The same thing could be said about other books out there, the reason's some of those book's haven't been considered for such a genra is due to the writers

if you're going to write, at least have enough common sense to understand that you're storys could be taken out of context, and that if you don't take the proper steps things can happen

I view this as more a of a hard lesson, although I do agree the degree and sentence IS a bit harsh. What I believe is that he should just be tossed in jail for a few days or weeks, and then taught a few things, then let him out... but thats my opinion

[Wolferz]

So much for our freedom of speech, eh? Unless the young man's story included specific references toward a person or entity, then common sense would have to dictate that a work of fiction is just that.

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by Grayfox:

what do you expect? its kentucky.

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Tell me Grayfox, exactly what is that statement supposed to mean? I don't think it's any different in any other state during these times of fearmongering by the Federal Government. Have you ever been to Winchester, Ky?

Have you ever been to any part of Ky?

A felony is a crime under United States law, therefore it doesn't matter which of the fifty states it occurs in.

As for the Winchester Police blowing this all out of proportion, it could be explained as a bunch of bored cops in a sleepy little Kentucky town, just east of Lexington, along Interstate 64.

I will be watching this latest atrocity against our Constitutional freedoms with a keen eye.

Judge Kalshion has already tried and convicted this young fellow with no more information than what a Lexington TV station decided to post on it's web site. Shame on you Kal.

Every event that has occurred since Sept 11, 2001 leads me to beg the question:

"How do you feel about ignorance and apathy in America? Ordinarily I would joke, I don't know and I don't care but, since then I have seen a buttload of ignorance and the apathetic have sat back and allowed it to happen.

Personally, I have enough weaponry to take care of any terrorist who is dumb enough to threaten our country. In fact I would prefer that they haul their goatsuckin asses right on over here and give it a try, as opposed to watching the Federal Government take our most cherished possessions one little piece at a time and promoting a deficit skyrocket in support of military operations over there in the terrorist's back yard.

I digress, the whole ball of wax ain't got squat to do with a war on terror. It's a war on our constitution by those who see anyone who is not of their blue blood as a barbarian and not worthy of their table scraps.

Watch and learn kiddies as we are slowly subjugated into Cerfdom. They don't call the Northeastern part of America New England for shits and giggles.

[Kalshion]

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Judge Kalshion has already tried and convicted this young fellow with no more information than what a Lexington TV station decided to post on it's web site. Shame on you Kal.

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Why thank you Defense Attorny Wolferz

Honestly, I judged him due to the following:

1. Lack of Common Sense

2. Lack of any proper knowledge of fictional and non-fictional story writing, in other word's, he didn't know that his story's would be taken for real, which is where common sense come's in, you could always mark you're storys in a way that make's it so they don't sound real

However, I appluad is parents though. Why?

Because they probably don't know where kid might be up to, for all we know that story could very well contain information for a terrorist group WE DO NOT KNOW, It's just a hypothetical situation coming from someone who's spent 11 year's writing fiction and non-fiction storys

Who knows? Maybe the kid was getting ready for another columbine (forgive me for saying that if there are people here who where involved, just using it for a reference) but again, we don't know, thing is people can't take chance's anymore

[Scrivener]

Listen, this kid isn't some published author like Dean Koontz who should have to consult a lawyer before letting his imagination run wild on paper. That assumption is complete bollocks, Kal. Furthermore, it was his own PRIVATE work - which his grandparents were obviously snooping around in - leaving them to take it out of context.

Whats worse - what did they do with it when they did find it? Did they wave it in their kid's face and ask him what it was he was righting about? NO! They turned it into the cops! THE COPS! WITHOUT EVEN GIVING THE KID A CHANCE TO EXPLAIN THEMSELVES!

If I were that kid, when I get out, I would NEVER EVER EVER speak to those people again. At least, after laying into them one last time.

Besides, you didn't read the story. You don't know what was in it. It could have been very obvious what he was writing about - and his grandparents were just ignorant retards who never watched a movie higher than PG in their lives. Those are facts we just-dont-know.

In ANY case. I fully support EVERYONES freedom of speech. This country was founded on giving people more freedoms - not selectively taking them away.

Steven King even writes about real people and locations in his story - and HE hasn't been arrested for making terrorist threats.

So what, this kid is going to use the US branch of Al Queda 4 Tots to reign a zombie holocust on his local school? ABSURD.

Seriously, think about this before you go convicting a poor kid for writing about subjects that interest him. If we arrested and charged every kid with those interests, many many MANY of our greatest creative minds would never have blossomed. There would be no Sam Raimi, Peter Jackson, Steven King, Dean Koontz... the list goes on and on and on.

[Kalshion]

Maybe it is Scrivener, maybe my assumption is wrong, but you just said it yourself

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Those are facts we just-dont-know

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[Guest Grayfox]

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Have you ever been to Winchester, Ky?

Have you ever been to any part of Ky?

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ummm ya. 3 years at ft. knox, 1 year at ft. campbell... hmmm what else... shepardsville, e-town, radcliffe, west point, vinegrove, paducah, louisville, brandenburg... happy yet? spent most of my military career there. i probably passed thru winchester once, but i was probably too drunk to remember. dont feel bad though, the people in central illinois are alot worse

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if you're going to write, at least have enough common sense to understand that you're storys could be taken out of context

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actually it should be the authorities and the kids grandparents that should be using common sense here to actually read and understand what the story is about before jumping the gun.

[Wolferz]

Roger that Grayfox,

My questions were not intended as admonishment. I grew up in Kentucky although I was born in Detroit Michigan, to a father from Paducah and a mother from near Central City. Simple children of simple farm folk they are. Like most folks in that state, they will give you the shirt off their back. We can't blame Mr Poole's grandparents for being stoopid. Remeber that those folks have lived through the great depression and most likely both World Wars, So they are probably accustomed to believing all the crap that spews forth from D C.

Like I said before, the cops were bored and wanted a spectacular bust to crow about. I'm sitting back now and waiting to watch them eat crow.

Three years at Knox, eh? How many times did you visit Seventh Streeet in Louisville? Or did you guys barely get past Muldraugh hill before hitting that sleaze joint on Dixie Highway, in Kosmosdale? Can I say what I want about Illinois? I've been to Chicago numerous times and I've been to Metropolis, so I've seen about everything there.

[Guest Grayfox]

lol omg muldraugh... and the dixie dieway. hmmm 7th street? dont remember that... although the only times i went to louisville was for thunder over louisville and the derby, so again i was prolly too drunk to remember the only two things i really remember is that there was this wall all around shepherdsville, and i remember the town of shively... lol lively shively.

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Can I say what I want about Illinois?

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feel free im from vegas boy it takes some getting used to that midwest mentality... geez. these folks have NO life... culture shock for me.

anywho we'll blow this ship back on course.

PM me if you wanna rehash ole kentucky memories

[echo]

I can't make any opinions of this without seeing what was written, knowing the kid, or the benefit of more information.

I can say I had a journal all my life and I have been writing poerty and or short stories since I was 12. I started keeping my real life and fictional stories in 2 seperate books.

When I was in 6th grade I copied a quick poem from my older sisters notebook into my school note book. My teacher found it and assumed it meant I was sexually active and called my mother. In reality I wanted to be like my older sister and have a poem in my notebook. Lesson learned, on two levels I learned not to put certain poems in certain places and I learned what the poem meant from the teacher. Honestly I still don't see what the alarm was all about, the poem wasn't and isn't that bad.

That was like 23 years ago. Today kids know a lot more a lot sooner and mabey he should have known to keep two notebooks. I can't recall any kids actually killing fellow students back then, around here anyway. I mean you used to be able to sing songs on the bus that mentioned the school burning down, these days you can't even think that song, without being questioned.

I guess I think he may lack some common sense.

[Guest]

It isn't common sense that's lacking on the kids part. It's common sense on the schools and his grandparents part.

This zero tolerance crap is just another word for control of the child.

Once you can control the way a child talks and thinks and writes, then you can control that child as an adult.

Which is the goal.

This is one of MANY reasons that I homeschool my kids, I will not allow those fruitcakes and their control freak zero tolerance BS to control my kids in order to create the sheeple that they so desperately want.

Political correctness and Zero tolerance are control policies, control of thought, nothing more, nothing less.

[Wolferz]

The more I think about the possible circumstances surrounding the arrest of William Poole, the more I become angered and fearful that our constitutional right to free speech is being threatened. As well is the right to privacy. It was reported that Mr Poole is 18 years of age. which makes him a free adult in this country. Now, I don't want to hear that he was living under his grandparent's roof and still in high school. That one doesn't wash anymore. Our freedoms are the same for all of us, Man Woman or Child. At 18 we are afforded the right to vote. And now we are afforded a jail cell for expressing ideas on paper that some official authority decides is unlawful.

Looks like McCarthyism history is back for a visit, only difference is the enemy has changed. The Communists threat from the USSR is gone and the Federal Government and all of it's overweight and everbudgeted departments needed a new enemy to combat. Enter the Terrorists, or should we say patsies? Oh, and this new threat gives them a good reason to suppress every idea or dissenting voice they deem unfit. And it gives them a free platform to spew lies and exaggerations, for lack of a better word, Propaghanda. To make Joe Citizen afraid of not only terrorists but, his neighbors and family and the very authorities that are sworn to protect his freedom. I haven't said nearly enough,yet. But, I have to save some for later.

CHEERS America!

[Scrivener]

Wolferz, I think of myself as a conservative libertarian but I actually agree with you here 100%.

[Guest DocHoliday]

This is exactly the major argument I have against Bush-type governments. Like the Communist systems which always "sought to find the inner enemy", the US gov't now seaches for terrorists on US soil. Of course there probably are, but arresting a kid is ridiculous. And the kid could not have known in advance that fiction is base for criminal charges these days. Doesn't make him stupid.. Just makes him a kid.

Besides as Scrivener said, (grand)parents shouldn't go through personal stuff of their kids, because they will never know the full context if they snoop and will fall victim to irrational fear like "those bad men, the internet and rock'n'roll have corrupted my kid"...

So in may view, the cops are scarred of the higher-ups and want to do their bidding, to the point of loosing common sense. And the parents also.

Plus it creates more paranoia and this all serves the goal. While US gives some libery to people "over there" (Iraq) it takes away some libery "over here" (your home)....

Your constitution is a brillian achievement but it is in serious danger of being by-passed with fancy legal loop-holes and "national security" concerns.

[Guest $iLk]

ACLU on this yet?

[Wolferz]

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Originally posted by $iLk:

ACLU on this yet?

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If they have even heard about it, probably so.

If news of the case gets squelched for "National Security " concerns, probably not.

[Wolferz]

Follow-up story....

LINK

According to this story, Mr Poole has been arraigned and his writings sealed by the court.

I wonder why they did that.

[Kalshion]

ok... now this is getting ridiculous, I can understand the need to be sure and such... but the evidence is stacked against this kid

Maybe the people they talked to are lieing, perhaps they aren't, unless someone has a time machine to go back in time to actually check the legitamacy

Any other way, I guess in my off time's at Basic Training I better becareful what I write..