WTF Sh*t's F*cked Up and Bullsh*t - a "Who Cares" thread for news

[detrius]

We don't know what the evidence against the two men is, but the bar to conviction for conspiracy in Texas seems to be pretty low

https://www.triticolaw.com/blog/2023/06/the-elements-of-the-crime-of-conspiracy

If that's correct, the prosecution needs to prove three elements beyond reasonable doubt

• Agreement (mutual agreement to commit a crime)
• Intent (intent to commit the crime)
• Overt act towards committing the crime (can be something as simple as purchasing supplies)

Your example clearly doesn't meet those criteria, but I can just about see how, depending on the evidence, a jury might be persuaded the pair are guilty, even though their plan was clearly pretty fanciful.

I've often wondered, as a general point, how practicable a plan has to be in order for it to become a criminal act.

For example, if someone tries to kill their victim by adding what they believe is arsenic to the victim's coffee, then that's attempted murder even though the substance they add is, in fact, harmless (they bought what they thought was arsenic from an undercover police officer who supplied them with sugar, maybe).

Where, though, does this leave someone who sincerely believes in traditional African religions or vodoun who makes what they believe is a serious attempt to kill someone by paying a sorcerer to place a curse on them?

Most of us wouldn't believe that the curse could have any effect (and if the victim did, in fact, die, we'd dismiss the curse as purely coincidental) but would not the defendant and the sorcerer nevertheless be guilty of attempted murder, if they both intended the curse to kill the victim and believed it would?

The plan doesn't have to be practicable in its entirety to become a criminal act.

In this case, although it's unlikely that they would have succeeded in taking over the island, it's entirely reasonable to assume they would have ended up killing people before being stopped.

It's the same with all these killers who dreamt of starting a "race war", like Manson or Breivik. The fact that their race war didn't materialize doesn't make the murders they committed less of a criminal act.

This isn't the first time some American white supremacists were planning to take over an island in the Caribbean.

For example, there was "Operation Red Dog" in the 1980s, when a bunch of American and Canadian Nazis and KKK members tried to overthrow the government of Dominica.

The Confederate States of America also had imperialist plans for taking over Latin America, which probably are the point of origin for these delusions.

The oppression of Cuba in the early 20th century is also a precedent for (state sanctioned) military adventurism. America has a pretty bad habit of letting people with money take over islands and do whatever they want.

 

[Free]

Indiana sickos are a special breed of sickos.

Shelbyville man charged with molesting, hospitalizing 2-year-old

A Shelbyville man has been arrested on felony molestation charges after allegedly raping a 2-year-old girl and causing injuries that sent her to the hospital.

Johnny Knuckles, 27, was arrested last week on two counts of child molesting, a Level 1 felony. If convicted on both counts, Knuckles could face up to 100 years in prison.

Shelbyville police were called on Nov. 24 to MHP Hospital on report of child sexual abuse. Upon arrival, they discovered a 2-year-old girl suffering from bleeding, bruising and lacerations to her privates.

The girl would eventually have to undergo surgery.

After interviewing the child’s family, Knuckles was identified as the suspect. He was reportedly seen naked in the girl’s room minutes before the injury was discovered, standing by the changing table.

Online reports make out Knuckles (...) as an extreme, right wing MAGA type. Quite believable, I'd say.

 

[Free]

Well, at least he wasn't a mass murderer or something like that...

100+ skeletons found in home of suspected Pennsylvania grave robber, DA says: "A horror movie come to life"

Pennsylvania authorities believe they have caught a grave robber responsible for stealing more than 100 sets of human remains. Jonathan Gerlach of Ephrata, Pennsylvania, is facing numerous charges after he was allegedly caught in the act.

[Delaware County District Attorney Tanner] Rouse said police caught Gerlach on Tuesday after police executed a search warrant at Gerlach's home in Ephrata, Lancaster County. That's where they found 100 full or partial sets of human remains, including skulls and bones, in the basement. There were also eight separate remains found in a storage locker belonging to Gerlach.

 

[Essence Lumin]

Well, at least he wasn't a mass murderer or something like that...

100+ skeletons found in home of suspected Pennsylvania grave robber, DA says: "A horror movie come to life"

My stepsister lives in Ephrata.

 

[Isabeau]

I’m Afraida of Ephrata.

 

[Casey Pelous]

I’m Afraida of Ephrata.

*Peter Lorre voice*: There's nothing to be ..... Ephrata ....heh heh heh .... *cough cough cough* .... come. Let me show you my ......... storage facility....

 

[Isabeau]

Fatberg the size of four buses likely birthed poo balls that closed Sydney beaches – and it can’t be cleared

Or in emoji 🧈

 

[Kamilah Hauptmann]

Fatberg the size of four buses likely birthed poo balls that closed Sydney beaches – and it can’t be cleared

Or in emoji 🧈

Brand new sentence.