On the Beat: Harassment charges

Before you comment on something like this don’t you think you should know the facts? I personally know both parties in this situation and what is written here isn’t exactly what happened. Im not saying what he is “accused” of was an intelligent thing to do if it was in fact done however calling someone a "dummy" without knowing them or the situation is uncalled for.
I have rules in my house and the words "dumb" and "stupid" aren't allowed to be used to describe a person because people really do have learning problems etc and you never know who has one or who you may offend when you say something like that. Maybe next time you should think before calling people names.

Let me first say that this site seems to be no better than the Star magazine. Just like the local paper it is gossip and slander!!
I know the above mentioned individual and fint this not to be the factual information!!!!
I thing alledgedly would be the more appropriate term for this situation.
If you are a so-called reporter let's get our puntuation and grammar up to par before we decide who is dumb and who is not!!
Judge not lest ye be judged!! You have alot of damn nerve! How dare you talk about people in this fashion!!
Call the Enquirer..you'd be better suited to work there!!

My god, will both of you shut up. The only thing reported is some random teenager was charged with aggravated harassment and spent some time in jail. Pissing and moaning about the charge just makes the accused look guilty.

On top of everything, this information is already public and is simply being reposted. It has nothing to do with gossip and slander. Everything reported is entirely accurate and is probably an exact or near exact copy of the original report.

I know I'll probably get flamed for this comment, but this has really gotten out of line. There's already been several flame wars about the "police blotter" and it's really getting a bit old. All of the information is already public domain and is just bringing attention to the fact that someone was charged with something illegal.

If you have a problem with the articles, don't read them. If you have a problem with your name showing up in one of these articles, it's your own fault. I know our justice system isn't perfect, but you don't get charged with second-degree anything and spend a night in jail unless you did SOMETHING wrong.

However, I'm not arguing that the punishment here fits the accused crime or that this is the whole truth to the situation.

My point is that these articles aren't going to speculate whether or not there's more to what is reported. They are ONLY going to report charges as they're made public. So please, stop pissing and moaning.

bravo chris but i must say the language is a little strong the public should have this info to know who to protect themselves from.

Marcchristopher or Marc Christopher?

Chris Olin,
You may have helped close New York's budget gap with your post.

<b>"but you don't get charged with second-degree anything and spend a night in jail unless you did SOMETHING wrong." </b>
So, no need for a trial? Think of the money we're going to save by doing away with judges, lawyers, and all that bothersome business that comes with a justice system.

Wow ...I cant believe everyone jumps to conclusions..if someone has all the evidence step forth and lets just hang him now..this is a couples disagreement!!! geez!

well the police are the ones with the evidence. the judge will decide from there. of course we need them. don't be ridiculous.

hamburglar,
A judge may indeed be the one to decide in this case, but we still have trials during which it's determined if the police <i>do indeed have evidence</i>.

I don't have an opinion one way or the other in this particular case nor any real concern. What I do have a problem with is the general presumption of guilt. There's any number of people alive today who were freed from death row. Yes, that may seem an extreme comparison, but its an example in refutation of the same logic-bereft argument. It<b> does not</b> automatically follow that arrest equals guilt.

russ you are absolutely right, in no way is our judicial system 100% flawless, but in case this person was put in jail for no good reason, it's unlikely. and name calling is uncalled for, but thats ok i'll still be your friend.

niel,
Not sure what you meant with that last comment.

how about now?

Still not clear. Do you mean in this particular case? Or do you mean that its unlikely that someone who's arrested is innocent?

I personally know of no one who has been jailed for doing something they haven't done. Does it happen? Im sure it does but those cases are few and far between. I think that it is said a lot more than they are telling the truth. So its too bad for the true innocent. Then again, look at O.J.

Forgive me for not taking your personal experiences as the standard of proof.

http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/node/534

Its one thing to warn this person or give out a ticket for what he might of done..But 1000 dollars bail..crazy..Ive read of many that are charged with shop lifting and stealing who are let go with no bail..Must be jail has too many empty cells..got to fill them up..

Russ, you aren't listening. To be honest, no one is.

My rather sharp-tongued post was addressing the complaints about the "On the Beat" articles. They aren't gossip or slander. People fail to realize that being charged doesn't mean guilty and everyone has the chance to defend themselves.

I am NOT defending or complaining about our justice system. That's a completely different topic and I personally believe there's no way to achieve perfection in something like this. Regardless, your comments are completely off-topic.

However, I'm not saying they're incorrect or correct either. Wrong topic, wrong time. I under what you're trying to say, but I'm not having this debate here.

I heard you loud and clear, Chris. You said yourself that you feel that if someone is charged, they must have done something. I'm not making a point about the publishing of the blotter or the coming determination of this case. I'm just pointing out that people, including yourself, often read these reports and assume that "you don't get arrested if you're innocent". That's the sort of attitude that leads people to question the effect of publishing these reports. And your spirited response to people who question or critique this practice with a statement that basically says only the guilty get arrested or charged helps make my point.

Does anyone know if he in fact is pleading not guilty? You shouldn't assume innocence either.

Lets get real people the American justice system, like any other is not perfect. But to claim that law enforcement officials lock people up because they are bored or because the jail is empty is laughable. police and sheriff agencies in this area are fair that's more than i can say about some criminals and their supporters.

"You shouldn't assume innocence either. " Actually, you should presume innocence until a finding of 'guilty', in accordance with our centuries old legal traditions.

And urging people to consider that an arrest doesn't automatically equal guilt isn't supporting the criminals, niel. It urges supporting the basic tenets of our criminal justice system.

Let me start this out by saying my post was NOT directed towards Phil it was directed towards Niel who had a comment up there that has been removed

My entire point was that you (Niel) should watch what you call people and that name calling should be left in elementary school where it happens all day long because that is what children do not adults.

Russ,
You definately have it correct there that in this country you are presumed "innocent until proven guilty in a court of law"

that's just a disclaimer for the reality t.v. show C.O.P.s.

I'll take your statements as an assurance that should you or anyone close to you ever be arrested or charged, niel, you will accept that as automatic proof of guilt, and offer no defense.

that's unlikely as we obey the laws, but say it does happen i wont worry ill just blame it on the police too.

Niel,
Its not just a disclaimer this is the USA where we have rights and freedoms or did you forget that? I'm pretty sure all our grandparents, parents aunt's uncle's and anyone else who has ever had someone in the military sent to war will be happy to tell you that.
Im sure you obey all laws. Have you ever had a speeding ticket? Have you ever missed a stop sign? Im sure NO One in your family breaks laws and everyone is perfect. However some of us dont have perfect families in fact I dont know ANYONE with a perfect family.
As far as blaming it on the police in this case its not the police fault its the unnamed 2nd parties fault.
I would tell you the details but since this is an ongoing issue I wouldn't say anything that would be detrimental to my family besides the truth will come out in the end.

It's really none of my business (the details) this website is for opinions and discussion as well as news and facts.You don't have to be perfect to do the right thing or not break a law.

ALL I CAN SAY IS WOW!!! NIEL YOU ARE CLEARLY IN NEED OF EDUCATION!! IT IS IN THE CONSTITUTION!! GO BACK TO ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND RELEARN! Marc is a good kid!! I have known him all of his life!!

"Allegedly making threats of physical harm". Seems like the statement speaks for itself....no need for the debate on our judicial system.

Key word being "Allegedly"

I agree with Tracey Marc is a good person as I have also known him his entire life.

Niel,
I never said you had to be perfect but to say the people you are close to dont break laws is a little bit of an exageration as Im sure someone you are close to has received a trafic ticket before...
Judge not less ye be judged first

Kate, thank you for agreeing with me i think tracey brewer said it best, "freedom of speech".
Meg, even if they have they certainly didn't go to jail because of it.

It doesnt matter if they went to jail just the point they have probably broken the law in one way shape or form so you shouldn't be judging others.
I believe in freedom of speech but that wasn't meant to be used to put other people down.

Righto nobody deserves that. I'm glad we can agree on that subject. Although i never did admit of knowing anybody who has gotten a speeding ticket. I'm sure we also agree that a 32 year beating up 9 and 11 year olds is a lot worse than making threats of physical harm to an individual.

sneeze 2 hard, scare someone, go to jail eh? ;)

Innocent people are arrested. However, as I previously said, you can't be arrested and charged with second degree anything without doing something. There's specific requirements for a charge like that.

Well, I guess if you take in account that there are crooked cops in the world, then the above paragraph isn't really black and white. In Genesee County, I honestly doubt that is a problem though. While I'm not saying that everyone that is charged and arrested is necessarily guilty, I am saying that they've done enough to be arrested.

Regardless, I'm not going to make a broad assumption about anyone that's charged is guilty or not. All I'm saying here is that this specific individual did SOMETHING to get arrested and charged, which (in a black and white logic) is the case in every situation. Whether or not the accused is guilty or not is a completely different story.