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Dave W.
Info Junkie
USA
26020 Posts |
 Posted - 02/04/2005 : 19:21:26
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Number 1 - if you want to be nice to other people, do so earlier in the evening:A Colorado judge ordered two teen-age girls to pay about $900 for the distress a neighbor said they caused by giving her home-made cookies adorned with paper hearts.
- Teens Fined for Giving Cookies to Neighbor
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- Dave W. (Private Msg, EMail)
Evidently, I rock!
Why not question something for a change?
Visit Dave's Psoriasis Info, too. |
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furshur
SFN Regular
USA
1536 Posts |
Posted - 02/04/2005 : 20:54:01 [Permalink]
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Oh, fercryin out loud.
A bag of flaming dog shit on her porch would probably get you the death peanlty!
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If I knew then what I know now then I would know more now than I know. |
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H. Humbert
SFN Die Hard
USA
4574 Posts |
Posted - 02/04/2005 : 22:06:10 [Permalink]
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Personally, if I were handed that sentence, I think I would go back dressed as the grim reaper and pound on that hag's door at the stroke of midnight.
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"A man is his own easiest dupe, for what he wishes to be true he generally believes to be true." --Demosthenes
"The first principle is that you must not fool yourself - and you are the easiest person to fool." --Richard P. Feynman
"Face facts with dignity." --found inside a fortune cookie |
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beskeptigal
SFN Die Hard
USA
3834 Posts |
Posted - 02/04/2005 : 23:34:14 [Permalink]
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Well at first I was going to say I'd be skeptical of that story given how the news media tends to leave some details out. But after reading it, I'd say it's par for our really bad justice system.
The judge in this case had to make some decision that the doorbell being rung at 10:30 pm caused an anxiety attack the following day. That's a crock of 'flaming bag on the doorstep'. Regardless of what triggered the woman's anxiety attack, there's is still a question of would any reasonable person expect ringing a doorbell at 10:30 pm would harm a person? The judge admitted this was not the case, then why hold the kids responsible for the woman's medical condition?
Would you pay for an allergic reaction if you went to your neighbor's house and they claimed your laundry soap lingering on your clothes triggered their asthma?
But back to the judges at the small claims court level. I had two tenants in a duplex I sold. They were responsible for yard work, in writing. When they vacated, the backyard was an overgrown mess so I took pictures, cleaned it up and held part of their deposits. Both of them decided to go to small claims court to ask for all the deposit back. There were 2 different judges with the exact same evidence. One judge said I couldn't charge unless I hired a gardener and the other said I was correct. Go figure! |
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Gorgo
SFN Die Hard
USA
5310 Posts |
Posted - 02/05/2005 : 05:34:17 [Permalink]
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| The girls should have stayed home and watched "Curb Your Enthusiasm." They would have learned that the cut-off time for visiting is 9:00. |
I know the rent is in arrears
The dog has not been fed in years
It's even worse than it appears
But it's alright-
Jerry Garcia
Robert Hunter
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Valiant Dancer
Forum Goalie
USA
4826 Posts |
Posted - 02/07/2005 : 08:42:00 [Permalink]
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quote:
Originally posted by beskeptigal
Well at first I was going to say I'd be skeptical of that story given how the news media tends to leave some details out. But after reading it, I'd say it's par for our really bad justice system.
The judge in this case had to make some decision that the doorbell being rung at 10:30 pm caused an anxiety attack the following day. That's a crock of 'flaming bag on the doorstep'. Regardless of what triggered the woman's anxiety attack, there's is still a question of would any reasonable person expect ringing a doorbell at 10:30 pm would harm a person? The judge admitted this was not the case, then why hold the kids responsible for the woman's medical condition?
Would you pay for an allergic reaction if you went to your neighbor's house and they claimed your laundry soap lingering on your clothes triggered their asthma?
But back to the judges at the small claims court level. I had two tenants in a duplex I sold. They were responsible for yard work, in writing. When they vacated, the backyard was an overgrown mess so I took pictures, cleaned it up and held part of their deposits. Both of them decided to go to small claims court to ask for all the deposit back. There were 2 different judges with the exact same evidence. One judge said I couldn't charge unless I hired a gardener and the other said I was correct. Go figure!
I find it very telling that
1) The girls were not charged with any crime
2) The parents offered to pay for the medical stay before the case
3) The woman refused to settle
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Cthulhu/Asmodeus when you're tired of voting for the lesser of two evils
Brother Cutlass of Reasoned Discussion |
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beskeptigal
SFN Die Hard
USA
3834 Posts |
Posted - 02/07/2005 : 13:38:26 [Permalink]
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Here are some additional accounts and follow up stories as well as other comments by readers:
MSNBC
Denver Post
Denver Post forum on topic
Free Republic follow up story
The neighbor is one of those neighbors from hell. The husband of the neighbor has harassed the family of the girls via phone since the incident to the point a restraining order was sought(obtained?). And the girls are receiving donations while the neighbor is receiving harassing phone calls from strangers. Do you suppose she can go back and sue for additional damages?
One comment I found interesting from another board was why weren't the harassing phone calls triggering a worse anxiety attack? Wouldn't they be more worrisome than a late night knock? |
| Edited by - beskeptigal on 02/07/2005 13:39:18 |
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Trish
SFN Addict
USA
2102 Posts |
Posted - 02/22/2005 : 21:23:26 [Permalink]
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The local radio station KOA, raised over $2500 to cover their $960 fine. Now the girls are picking local charities to receive the remaining funds that were donated.
9News, or maybe it was Channel 7, interviewed the girls and I think they were on the WB morning show here also. Not one other neighbor, to whom they delivered cookies, was bothered by the late night knocking. They thought they were doing something harmless and fun in passing out cookies without anyone knowing who was leaving the gift behind. There definately was no harm intended on the part of the girls. |
...no one has ever found a 4.5 billion year old stone artifact (at the right geological stratum) with the words "Made by God."
No Sense of Obligation by Matt Young
"Say what you will about the sweet miracle of unquestioning faith. I consider the capacity for it terrifying and vile!"
Mother Night by Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.
They (Women Marines) don't have a nickname, and they don't need one. They get their basic training in a Marine atmosphere, at a Marine Post. They inherit the traditions of the Marines. They are Marines.
LtGen Thomas Holcomb, USMC
Commandant of the Marine Corps, 1943
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Ricky
SFN Die Hard
USA
4907 Posts |
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beskeptigal
SFN Die Hard
USA
3834 Posts |
Posted - 02/23/2005 : 03:41:20 [Permalink]
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quote:
Originally posted by Ricky
quote:
Would you pay for an allergic reaction if you went to your neighbor's house and they claimed your laundry soap lingering on your clothes triggered their asthma?
Most likely, yes.
Find me a case where this occurred. If there was a sign on the door, "Ye with perfume do not enter here", or something but how is the person entering the house supposed to know not to go in? I think we hear a few too many lawsuit stories and get the impression people can sue for anything. I think it's a myth. Obviously there are weird cases like the one in this thread, but just like the news makes it seem like you will be mugged on every street corner in the US, the news makes it seem like every judge and jury are flaky. I don't buy it. |
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