A southwest Riverside County father accused of tying up and using a stun gun on a 23-year-old man who sent his 17-year-old daughter an explicit cell phone photo pleaded not guilty Friday to assault and other charges.The paper's headline calls the 23-year-old a "teen prankster". I wasn't aware that 23 was teenaged. And prankster? Please.
Authorities allege that William Atwood Sr., 45, angry over the photo, lured Justin Moore to his home in French Valley. He then ordered him to strip down to his boxer shorts, fired a shotgun in the air, bound him with zip ties and shocked him with a Taser, authorities say. Eventually, he turned him over to a Riverside County sheriff's deputy.So what's wrong with that?
"We don't authorize people to take the law into their own hands," said Supervising Deputy District Attorney Gerald Fineman. "That's why we have law enforcement."Well, yeah, government agencies usually don’t advocate people do things for themselves that government agencies are supposed do – like educating children. Okay, so perhaps dealing with sex offenders this way is different.
Moore, who lives in Temecula and knows Atwood's daughter and son, told sheriff's investigators that he had sent a cell phone photo of his genitals to the girl and other friends as a joke.A joke? Well, I guess it would depend on the size of the subject.
Investigators confirmed that Moore sent the photo to several people, including Atwood's daughter. Prosecutors declined to file charges against him.Where's Chris Hanson?
Fineman said prosecutors would have to prove the photo was sent with a sexual intent. That does not appear to have been the case, he said.Really? Huh? Have I missed something?
Fineman said Moore did not send the photo out of the blue. The group of friends, which included Atwood's daughter, had exchanged cell phone photos in the past that might be considered inappropriate.Ah, I see. So I guess acquaintance rape wouldn't be so bad if they'd engaged in heavy petting on a different date.
Okay, so if the father really did everything alleged, then I could see how some people might think he went a teeny bit too far.
Now, can we lock Roman Polanski in a room with him?
I just wanted to quick weigh in ... teenagers may be technically children, but they are not innocent. Things are different these days. People put pictures of their naughty bits everywhere, young women and young men alike. Everyone has a cell phone, every phone has a camera.
ReplyDeleteParents SERIOUSLY need to crack down on their "children" (esp. the older teenage kind). I remember being 17 ... playing with fire (i.e. beginning to understand that males were attracted to me physically and how that attraction can be exploited).
Either, we as a society need to stop being so silly and prudish about body parts OR we need to punish teenagers who are being inappropriate. (Personally, I favor the former, but I'm tired today :) )
I don't disagree, Mrs. Roth. It is a good thing girls weren't doing the things they are doing now when I was a teen... the clothing, the sexting, and all of that. My hormones were bad enough as it was.
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