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Laser Painting Could Lead to 25-Year Prison Term

Posted by timothy on from the too-bright-therefore-not-so-bright dept.

lowy writes "According to this USA Today article, a New Jersey man was charged under federal anti-terrorism laws with shining a laser beam at a jet flying over his home. The Feds arrested him after he flashed a police helicopter searching for the source of the beam. He now faces up to 25 years in prison under Patriot Act charges." It seems to be happening around the country, as our earlier post makes clear.

2 of 1,615 comments (clear)

  1. Was he intending to bring the airliner down? by raehl · · Score: 0, Redundant

    Or was just just chronically stupid?

    I'd vote for the later.

    --
    paintball
  2. Re:Only 25 years? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Redundant
    This case shows exactly why the USA-PATRIOT act is such a bad idea. ANYTHING the powers-that-be don't like can be labelled "terrorism" and thereby trump ordinary due process and Constitutional protections.

    I'm Republican and I totally agree. However the people who voted Democrat because of this never realized that Hillary and Kerry BOTH voted FOR this act. story here. Both of them speaking out against something they voted for was just blind hatred against Bush and had nothing to do with the issue at all since they were obviously for it. It is sad how many fell for them hiding the truth though.