[MUD-Dev] [OT] Taking things too far.

[F. Randall Farmer]

Greg Munt replied:
> Scott Stuart said:

>> We recently had a player report that he received an anonymous death
>> threat by email from another player. The threat was regarding game
>> issues, yet not only the character's life was threatened, but also
>> the player's life (as well as his car, house and computer).

> ...These threats may constitute a crime, they may not.

I hate to be the one who breaks the news, but at least in California,
threatening to kill someone can get you arrested for the following
crime: "Threatening a Terrorist Act" --- a felony. That San Diego kid
got charged with it, as I recall (it might have been a different kid.)

Now, it appears that though a few conditions must be met for this
charge to stick, but freedom of speech isn't as broad as we might have
thought.

The conditions, as I understand them are ...

 1 - Attacker: Makes a threat to do harm, heard by witnesses.
 2 - Attacker: Has a readily available and/or brandished weapon.
 3 - Victim: Has a _belief_ that the attacker can and will do bodily  harm.

I'm not a lawyer. I know that trial lawyers are ticked off that this
statute is being used in this way (It was intended to punish real
bomb-wielding terrorists, not people getting pissed off at each
other.) I think it might have something to do with Columbine. I _do_
know that the charge can stick, even if the Attacker indicates that
they were never serious.

Anyway, in this case it _might_ be that item #2 can't be met in this
context, but you never know. The Cops are in CYA-mode these days.

"... better off in Juvy, than [have] another Columbine."  -- actual
policeman quote.

It's a real bad time for anyone to threaten anyone else, 

Randy

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