4 ms·

It fits, he got arrested for posting an idiot comment about Obama on the Yahoo message boards.

• jacquesm 17y ago
  Used to be you had to do something before you got charged. Threatening seems so much like thoughtcrime.
  • deleted 17y ago
    [deleted]
  • ubernostrum 17y ago
    Making threats has been a "something" that's considered a crime for... well, a long time. Typically the law requires that the threat be at least somewhat believable in order to be successfully prosecuted, but there are certain types of threats which are criminal regardless of ability to be carried out (e.g., threatening to plant a bomb in a public square is a crime, even if you have no way of building or planting the bomb).
    • jacquesm 17y ago
      A message on a yahoo board seems to be a bit of a stretch though.
      • ubernostrum 17y ago
        Threats made against the President are handled rather specially, by people who aren't inclined to view online message boards as trivial.