(Repulican) Politician accused of watermelon theft

[DogPoundPup]

Source: UPI

EDENTON, N.C., Sept. 9 (UPI) -- A man running for the Chowan County Board of Commissioners in North Carolina has been charged with stealing a $3 watermelon from a farmer's field.

Dana Soles is scheduled to appear Sept. 23 in District Court on a felony larceny of ungathered crops charge, which could land him in jail for up to 30 months if he is convicted, the (Norfolk) Virginian-Pilot reported Tuesday.

Soles said he was en route to delivering groceries to the family of a former colleague who had lost his job Aug. 21 when he came across a field of watermelons that he said he heard was due to be tilled. He said he took the watermelon and placed it in his car and admitted to initially denying he had put anything in the vehicle when a deputy stopped to ask if he was having car trouble, Sheriff Dwayne Goodwin said.

Goodwin said Soles eventually admitted to taking the watermelon and was issued a summons Aug. 29.

Soles said the watermelons "were rotting out there" and he "honestly didn't know it was a crime" to remove one of them.

Soles is running on the Republican ticket for District 1, Seat 1 in November's race against Democrat Emmett Winborne.

He said he offered to pay the farmer for the watermelon and he believes his prosecution is politically motivated.

Read more: http://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2008/09/09/Politician_accused_of_watermelon_theft/UPI-42181221012026/

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Laws and Rules only apply to :shrug: who?

[Ecumenist]

1. Bloody figures...

[izquierdista]

2. Gleaning the fields

It used to be that gleaning the fields was not a punishable offense. Somehow though, I doubt that politicians driving cars are the class of people to be left the gleanings of the fields.

[provis99]

3. well, felony larceny is a bit much

It's a friggin rotten watermelon, fer chrissakes. The only punishment I would give him is forcing him to eat the whole thing at one sitting.

[yellowcanine]

17. Well it is his word that the melons were "rotting", Obviously the one he took wasn't..

That said, felony for a $3 watermelon does seem a bit much. Perhaps there is more than meets the eye here. Is he a "repeat offender" when it comes to stealing watermelons and this is the first time he has actually been nabbed, for example? Has this farmer regularly been having his watermelons stolon so when someone is caught they get the book thrown at them?

[Frank Booth]

4. What a scumbag!!

:mad: :argh: :mad:

Let's keep this kicked all night so that others may learn from his bad example!

On edit: The Obama campaign needs to tie McCain to Soles NOW!

[wvbygod]

21. Let's keep this kicked all night so that others may learn from his bad example!

Soles said he was en route to delivering groceries to the family of a former colleague who had lost his job Aug. 21 when he came across a field of watermelons that he said he heard was due to be tilled.

Regardless of party, delivering groceries to the unemployed and lifting a watermelon soon to be tilled is no crime that a decent human would prosecute against anyone. Political indeed.

[countmyvote4real]

5. Ahh, the "Melon Hood" defense. n/t

[madmom]

6. The more important thing here is who was the friend working for and why was his job lost? Karma?

[DogPoundPup]

8. Exactly! n/t

[CitizenPatriot]

7. puke speak

"his prosecution is politically motivated" = GOP speak for "I'm guilty as hell, don't look now!"

[Tutonic]

9. Politically motivated? Haaaa! Morrrrran.

[Dumak]

10. Put him in jail..

with a great big poster of Don Siegelman to stare at.

[jberryhill]

11. Felony with 30 months?

Jeez... what kind of criminal code do they have in NC?

[Nambe]

12. "My job is black and white," said Sheriff Goodwin.

Please tell me the Soles man is white. 2.5 years for one watermelon.

[Hardrada]

13. That's one melon colly baby!

[truthisfreedom]

14. Who gives a shit?

Moronic story.

[Wabbajack_]

15. 30 months for 3 dollar fruit?

Preposterous.

[JonLP24]

16. Republican or not he should get a slap on the wrist n/t

[Donald Ian Rankin]

18. I have to say, the "politically motivated prosecution" theory sounds plausible to me.

Republican or not, this makes me suspicious.

De minimus non curat lex.

[Alter Ego]

19. DAAAAAAANNNN BURRRRTONNNNNNN!!!!!

[LeftishBrit]

20. Watermelon theft?

Well, by the standards of Republican misdeeds, that seems to be one of the less serious ones! It reminds me more of the Jamaican folk song we learned at school - "My brother did a-tell me that you go mango walk/ And steal all the Number Eleven!" - than of the corruption scandal of the century.

Still, it does fit in with the general view that many Republicans will steal anything that's not nailed down.

[Javaman]

22. it's like teaching children...

Was that watermelon yours? No.

did someone say you could take it? no.

Why did you say you didn't take it when you did? I was embarrassed because I knew I took it without permission.

Now was that so hard? please darling, next time tell the truth and ask before taking.

:banghead:

who are the adults here again?