Man Charged Under Patriot Act For Laser

SemiCharmedQuark

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Wed Jan-05-05 10:24 AM
Original message

Man Charged Under Patriot Act For Laser

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=519&e=20&u=/ap/laser_beam_aircraft

-snip-

NEWARK, N.J. - A man charged with temporarily blinding the pilot and co-pilot of an airplane with a laser beam claims he was simply using the device to look at stars with his 7-year-old daughter.

Federal authorities on Tuesday used the Patriot Act to charge David Banach, 38, with interfering with the operator of a mass transportation vehicle and making false statements to the FBI (news - web sites). He is the first person arrested after a recent rash of reports around the nation of lasers being beamed at airplanes.

If convicted, Banach could be sentenced to 25 years in prison and fined $500,000.

-snip-

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bowens43

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Wed Jan-05-05 10:39 AM
Response to Original message

1. Remeber when they told us that the Patriot Act would not

be used except to prosecute terrorists?

" The FBI acknowledged the incident had no connection to terrorism but called Banach's actions "foolhardy and negligent."

Welcome to the police state

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sui generis

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Wed Jan-05-05 10:43 AM
Response to Reply #1

4. yeah well fuck the FBI

the case will fail - they are just wasting taxpayer dollars again.

What a bunch of idiots. There is absolutely no way to make it stick, and they know it, but some peabrained career cop thinks he's going to hook his wagon to this case, and let me reiterate, pea brained career cop.

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bowens43

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Wed Jan-05-05 10:47 AM
Response to Reply #4

5. I disagree. IMO it WILL stick.

The provisions of the Patriot Act are so broad and so poorly defined that ANYTHING can be construed to be a violation punishable by 25 years in prison. The Patriot Act is the 'catch all' law. It can be used at any time for any reason. It is purposely vague.

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sui generis

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Wed Jan-05-05 10:48 AM
Response to Reply #5

6. let me re-reiterate:

fuck the FBI.

They're not doing their job and they're wasting our money on trying to prosecute this case.

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bowens43

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Wed Jan-05-05 10:52 AM
Response to Reply #6

7. I agree but you're fooling yourself if you think it won't stick.

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madison2000

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Wed Jan-05-05 10:40 AM
Response to Original message

2. What a moran!

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Allenberg

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Wed Jan-05-05 10:41 AM
Response to Original message

3. Seriously.

The Patriot Act is possibly the worst piece of legislation on the books.

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SemiCharmedQuark

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Wed Jan-05-05 11:51 AM
Response to Reply #3

8. Scary isn't it?

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