Students Arrested for Drawing Stick Figures

Occasionally, I'll come across a news item that has nothing really to do with the 2008 election but that's so preposterous I must share it with you.

This is one of those times ... now I could rant and rave about a) the stupidity of the school administration, b) the stupidity of the local law enforcement, or c) the stupidity of the District Attorney ... but in the interest of open debate, I'll let you all have the first word.

The article came off the web site of WKMG, a local Florida television station.

One last thing: Pay close attention to the quote from the police spokesman (a term used very loosely here) Russ Kearn. If anyone can figure out just what in the world he's saying, I'll send them a dozen Krispy Kremes ... seriously.


Students Arrested Over 'Violent' Stick Figure Drawings
Pictures Show Classmate Being Stabbed, Hung
POSTED: 1:40 am EST January 26, 2005
UPDATED: 3:07 pm EST January 26, 2005




OCALA, Fla. -- Two boys, ages 9 and 10, were charged with felonies and taken away from school in handcuffs, accused of making violent drawings of stick figures.

The boys were arrested Monday on charges of making a written threat to kill or harm another person, a second-degree felony.

"The officer found they were drawing these pictures for the sole purpose of intimidating and scaring the victim," said Ocala Police Sgt. Russ Kern.

The boy depicted in the drawings told his teacher, who took the sketches and contacted the school dean, Marty Clifford. Clifford called police, who arrested the boys after consulting with the State Attorney's Office.

They were also suspended from school.

One drawing showed the two boys standing on either side of the other boy and "holding knives pointed through" his body, according to a police report. The figures were identified by written names or initials.

Another drawing showed a stick figure hanging, tears falling from his eyes, with two other stick figures standing below him. Other pieces of scrap paper listed misspelled profanities and the initials of the boy who was allegedly threatened.

Parents of both of the arrested boys said they thought the boys should be punished by the school and families, not the legal system.

Ocala police said they stand behind the decision to arrest the children.

"When an adult or even myself look at the picture looked at it at first I was thinking there is really not much to the picture or I would not be that scared by the picture those children drew," Ocala police spokesman Russ Kearn said.

"However, we have to put ourselves in his mind and that's the bottom line here. It is his well-being and the way he perceived that picture to be. It actually put him in extreme fear and he was in fear for his life."

Watch Local 6 News for more on this story.