Jennifer LaPenta, jailed over 'Offensive' T-Shirt

1. 68

   Peter Hogganposted 13 years ago

   Apparently you can go to jail for offending people.
   
   http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/05/0 … 65014.html
   
   Right or wrong, what’s your opinion?

   replyreport
   1. 55

      johneeeposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      That's ridiculous! What a joke LMFAO

      replyreport
   2. 0

      Brenda Durhamposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      Free speech doesn't cover vulgarity. At least in some places, thank goodness. Nor should it.

      replyreport
      1. 68

         Peter Hogganposted 13 years agoin reply to this

         Are you saying that you condone the incarceration of individuals for being vulgar?

         replyreport
         1. 56

            Buck Steinerposted 13 years agoin reply to this

            I condone the right of the judge to keep order in his courtroom!
            
            If the shirt is worn in the Mall then its ok, but don't be stupid and think a Judge will be OK with it in his courtroom.

            replyreport
            1. 68

               Peter Hogganposted 13 years agoin reply to this

               Forgive my stupidity, you are 100% correct, such a t-shirt would undoubtedly derail the wheels of justice. What was I thinking?
               
               

               replyreport
               1. 56

                  Buck Steinerposted 13 years agoin reply to this

                  I think you miss my point, its not going to derail the wheels of justice, its just gonna piss off the Judge and land you in jail.
                  
                  Try it if you don't believe me.

                  replyreport
                  1. 68

                     Peter Hogganposted 13 years agoin reply to this

                     Obviously I am missing the point, probably because I am, as you suggest, stupid. But if your learned self suggest that by wearing a t-shirt that pisses of a judge is reason to have my liberty suspended then I bow to your superior judgment.
                     
                     But why imprisonment, why not just removal from the court?

                     replyreport
                     1. 56

                        Buck Steinerposted 13 years agoin reply to this

                        I was implying ANYONE who would wear that shirt to court was stupid, don't feel singled out.
                        
                        Have you ever been in a Courtroom? The Judge makes the rules and has carte blanc to do what he/she wants. I don't know why not removal from the Court, maybe she said something moronic, morons tend to do that.
                        
                        Not you, don't get excited.

                        replyreport
                        1. 68

                           Peter Hogganposted 13 years agoin reply to this

                           Perhaps you should have used "anyone" instead of "you", it makes a big difference to the meaning of your statement.
                           
                           I know that a judge has enormous autonomy in the courtroom, and I agree that it was dumb to wear such a garment in court, and I agree it was a moronic act, and I understand the reasons why the judge might have wanted the t-shirt removed from the courtroom. However, that could have been done by asking the individual to ware the t-shirt reverse side out or to leave the courtroom. This would have effectively solved the problem.
                           
                           I actually see nothing wrong with the judge demanding decency in her court room, but I do have issues with huge abuse of power perpetrated on this occasion.

                           replyreport
                           1. 56

                              Buck Steinerposted 13 years agoin reply to this

                              Again, we do not know what transpired in the courtroom, she may have thought she could do whatever she wanted to and told the Judge to piss off.
                              
                              Morons do moronic things.
                              
                              I didn't use "You"
                              
                              "If the shirt is worn in the Mall then its ok, but don't be stupid and think a Judge will be OK with it in his courtroom."

                              replyreport
2. 60

   Ohmaposted 13 years ago

   If that is all there is to it then it is wrong for so many reasons. but so little details were given that it is hard to say.

   replyreport
   1. 60

      DevLinposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      The whole story, she was at the gym and asked to take freind to court. In the gallery, the judge called her up. The judge asked if she thought it was an appropriate shirt to be wearing. She answered, not if I was a defedant. 48 hours in jail for the answer. Ridiculous.

      replyreport
      1. 60

         Ohmaposted 13 years agoin reply to this

         then yes I agree it is a horrid misuse of the power granted to the judge, and he should be defrocked.

         replyreport
         1. 60

            DevLinposted 13 years agoin reply to this

            She judge.  LaPenta said she must not like lesbians, since she is.

            replyreport
3. 60

   ediggityposted 13 years ago

   Looks like she's the one who got owned!

   replyreport
   1. 68

      Peter Hogganposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      Yep

      replyreport
4. 56

   Buck Steinerposted 13 years ago

   Did she wear this into a courtroom in front of a judge? If so then that judge has the discretion to do whatever he wants!
   
   On a side note, she's a moron!

   replyreport
   1. 68

      Peter Hogganposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      A moron perhaps, but WTF happened to free speech?

      replyreport
      1. 60

         ediggityposted 13 years agoin reply to this

         She wasn't speaking.  Does free speech cover obscene clothing?

         replyreport
         1. 68

            Peter Hogganposted 13 years agoin reply to this

            The clothing wasn’t obscene, in the sense that it was revealing. It's the slogan that is the issue, whether words were spoken or written it still boils down a cencorship of free speech and a complete misuse of power.

            replyreport
      2. 56

         Buck Steinerposted 13 years agoin reply to this

         Free speech does not exist in a court room.

         replyreport
         1. 68

            Peter Hogganposted 13 years agoin reply to this

            This seems to be the case.

            replyreport
            1. 56

               Buck Steinerposted 13 years agoin reply to this

               It has always been the case.

               replyreport
5. 60

   Ohmaposted 13 years ago

   then she should be defrocked.

   replyreport
6. 62

   Mishaposted 13 years ago

   LOL people, when you finally realize that we ALL are OWNED by a respective government?

   replyreport
   1. 60

      Ohmaposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      I realize it I just do not like it.

      replyreport
7. 0

   Madame Xposted 13 years ago

   Wow. A judge demands decency in her courtroom. What's the world coming to?

   replyreport
8. 0

   Madame Xposted 13 years ago

   I get really tired of how so-called news stories tell only a tiny piece of the story. Usually just enough to get everyone riled up and pissed off. Doesn't look like we'll ever know the full situation here.

   replyreport
9. 60

   SpanStarposted 13 years ago

   I just may be one of the few who doesn't believe Free Speech means up the floodgates and let everything in.  I believe freedom means we are mature enough society or mature enough people to place limits on ourselves.
   
   I sure I must be missing something with this story because with my strong belief in people being responsible for their actions this doesn't seem to me to worthy of jail time.  Telling the person to leave the court room if that's where this took place or change her garment seem liked to me like that would have been a better approach.  I look at the times today and well it's different then it use to be.

   replyreport
10. 60

    Ohmaposted 13 years ago

    Okay maybe I am missing something. This girl was not appearing before the judge. She was there because she had given a friend a ride. the judge singled her out and called he on the t-shirt. The judge in this case was way out of line. It would be another story if this girl had been there to "appear before the court"

    replyreport
    1. 56

       Buck Steinerposted 13 years agoin reply to this

       She was in HIS/HER courtroom, she has know right to free expression or free speech in HIS/HER courtroom.
       
       That's just the way it is and it is like that in every courtroom in America.

       replyreport
       1. 60

          Ohmaposted 13 years agoin reply to this

          Buck I respect what you are saying but just because it is the way it has always been done doesn't make it right.

          replyreport
          1. 56

             Buck Steinerposted 13 years agoin reply to this

             I have appeared before many Judges and they all seem to have certain pet peeves, I don't agree with her action if she was willing to leave but it is in the Judges purview to do what she did.

             replyreport
11. 61

    Originposted 13 years ago

    The judge just should have kicked her out of the courtroom, I think the jail part is a bit much.

    replyreport
12. 60

    DevLinposted 13 years ago

    Calling out an observer on their attire to question, was ridiculous. If the Judge was offended, she should have just sent her out. She shouldn't even have questioned her.

    replyreport
13. 56

    Buck Steinerposted 13 years ago

    Nobody seems to know what transpired in the Courtroom, maybe she was given the choice to leave and refused, either way none of you seem to have ever been in a courtroom this stuff happens all the time and for a lot less than what this Tshirt said.

    replyreport