[blisterpeanuts]

But that's exactly the problem -- some fearful little officials saying, "But what if he meant it?"

An intelligent chief of police and prosecutor should have looked at the kid's background, maybe dropped by his house, and said, OK there's no "there" there. Unless there's a history of violence, or record of mental illness, or sociopathic behavior officially noted, etc. Which as far as I know, there isn't in this case. Just pure blind, stupid bureaucratic grinding an individual with their jackboots, simply because they have the power.

[epochwolf]

It's the suburban soccer moms wearing the jackboots. The police are just their messengers.

[rayiner]

I don't know if you remember high school, or more specifically other peoples' parents, but it doesn't ring true to me to blame the bureaucracy with their "jackboots."

Parents are fucking nuts, suburban parents doubly so. This is some town outside of San Antonio--you think these police officials are acting out of step with what most of the local parents want?

[blisterpeanuts]

See my earlier comment :)