As an SUV owner I am so proud that I live in the USA when even a student can be put away for 8 years for vandalising an SUV. Is America great or what? His defence? “’I want nothing more than to be a physicist,’ Cottrell said. ‘I would do anything to earn any leniency the court could show in this matter.’” Pathetic. Via Metafilter.
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Eight years for messing up someone’s paint job? Wow, this is a judge who should click on those penis enlargement emails we all get.
This is what your auto insurance is for, not the prison system. Wonderful, now America gets to pay $150,000 to keep this kid in jail instead of getting a PhD in physics. Excellent judgment there.
Then to quote: ‘”The defendant engaged in conduct to send a political message,” said federal prosecutor Beverly Reid O’Connell.’ and, ‘U.S. District Judge Gary Klausner added more time to the sentence after finding that Cottrell was trying to sway consumers with his anti-SUV message.’
Ok, I know we historically prosecuted such behavior because it’s vandalism, but now we’re doing it because it’s political expression? Uh… ok, so I guess young Mr. Cottrell’s a political prisoner then.
Just in case you’re wondering what fascism feels like… this would be a foretaste. The USA, it’s like the housing market: get out while you still can.