A few months ago, Texas teenager Justin Carter, a regular gamer who played the League of Legends game online, and a fellow gaming friend, got into a heated argument with someone on Facebook. During the argument, which took place publicly on their timelines, the person with whom they were having this discussion on Facebook had said something to Carter, regarding his gaming in general, and League of Legends in particular, to the effect of “Oh you’re insane, you’re crazy, you’re messed up in the head.”
Carter’s response, intended, he says, completely sarcastically, was “I’m fucked in the head alright. I think I’ma shoot up a kindergarten and watch the blood of the innocent rain down and eat the beating heart of one of them.”
Carter’s father, Jack Carter, adds that the next two lines his son wrote were “LOL” and “J/K” (which stands for ‘just kidding’).
Someone who read the exchange reported it to the authorities, and apparently the authorities didn’t take the “LOL” and “J/K” to heart, as they arrested Justin Carter on terrorism charges, and he faces up to eight years or more in prison.
Moreover, his bail has been set at an unprecedented $500,000.
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Says Carter’s court-appointed attorney, Donald H. Flanary III, “It’s outrageous. I’ve represented murderers and their bond was $150,000.” Also, Flanary adds, the police found no evidence that Carter intended to – or even would have been able to – carry out the ‘threat’. No weapons, no ammunition, nothing.
All signs point to Carter simply being a teen doing what teens do best: shooting off their mouth without thinking.
Carter, who is barely 19, and was 18 when he made the comment, and who has been severely beaten while in prison since February, is now on suicide watch.
Explains his father, “Without getting into the really nasty details, he’s had concussions, black eyes, moved four times from base for his own protection. He’s been put in solitary confinement, nude, for days on end because he’s depressed. All of this is extremely traumatic to this kid. This is a horrible experience.”
“He’s very depressed. He’s very scared and he’s very concerned that he’s not going to get out. He’s pretty much lost all hope,” adds his father.
A petition directed to the District Attorney of Comal County and Texas State Attorney General, demanding the release of Carter, has been put up online at Change.org.
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I am sorry this young ‘man’ is in prison, sounds like a 3rd world country but at 18 he should have known better. This is serious stuff. I would sign the petition if he was 12. I might relent and sign it in a week or so, but not today. This is how some of these ‘Columbine’ etc sorts get started. Hope he learned a lesson, glad its not my some I feel sorry for his Dad. Please send the petition link again in or so and I will sign it.