Your Weapon of Choice? M&Ms!

The Associated Press reports:

DES MOINES, Iowa—A college student whose friend was being questioned in a hit and run found himself charged with assaulting an officer with a curious choice of weapons: M&Ms.

Sean McGuire was arrested early Sunday at a convenience store after Drake University security guards noticed the colored candies falling on the ground around the officer. When the officer turned around, an M&M hit his shoulder, according to a police report. (source)

Okay, throwing M&Ms at anyone is uncalled for.  Throwing them at a cop is just stupid.  But, this college student winding up in jail, and having to post a $1,000 bond for throwing candy?  What was this all about?  Was it really about "assault," or was it a case of "you must respect my authoritah!"

Comments

[KipEsquire]

Why does it have to be a question of "respect my authoritah" rather than one of not being a law-breaking jerk by throwing stuff at people?

Last time I checked, respecting people's space and bodily integrity was one of the higher-ranking libertarian tenets. If that's changed, then I didn't get the memo.

I know many libertarians like to pretend that all police are unstable maniacs just waiting for an excuse to don their jackboots and charge up their tasers. And a few are.

But sometimes people simply break the law -- sometimes quite stupidly, immaturely or obnoxiously -- and if they get caught, they get caught.

Sympathy is a scarce resource, and I don't squander it on fools.

[Marc J. Randazza]

I don't have sympathy for the guy. The guy asked for the trouble.

I do have concern for society, however, when a cop exercises his discretion to subject a candy-throwing kid to the same penalties as a brick-throwing truly violent person.

Lets get real. If you walked up to a cop and said "that guy over there just threw an M&M at me!" What do you think the cop would say? Any cop worth his badge would tell you to waste someone else's time.

[Phelps]

I prefer the term "Contempt of Cop" (I think Say Uncle coined it.)

[Edward G. McKeown]

1. Littering
2. Possible Animal Endangerment (dogs)
3. Slip hazard

can we think of anything else?

[Hermes Ten]

Yeah, it's stupid to throw M&M's at cops because anyone with half a brain knows that cops abuse their authority and can, and do, get away with anything, including murder. But the reason they get away with murder is because we live in a country full of cop suckers, like "Kip."

"Kip" is the kind of guy I think of when I think of Mencken's remark that Americans get the government they deserve, and they deserve to get it good and hard. Should Kip someday find himself under the jackboots of America's "finest," I sure hope there is no one around to squander any sympathy on his behalf.

[Marty]

everyone knows cops prefer donut-holes from dunkin donuts. duh

[KipEsquire]

"I do have concern for society, however, when a cop exercises his discretion to subject a candy-throwing kid to the same penalties as a brick-throwing truly violent person."

Being arrested, by all indications lawfully, is not a "penalty." You seem to be confusing "cop" with "prosecutor" or "jury."

As for Mr. McKeown, I'll put my "anti-jackboot" record up against his any time:

http://kipesquire.powerblogs.com/posts/chain_1189164319.shtml

[Marc J. Randazza]

Being arrested is not a "penalty?" Ever spent a few hours in a cage? It sure feels like a penalty to me. And, it certainly is used as extra-judicial punishment by cops who know that the charges won't stick.

[Hunter]

Yeah, I agree, Marc. Cops will definitely use the threat of a night in jail against someone who just wants to stand up for their rights. Don't want to let that cop search your car on the side of the road? He'll just have it impounded and take you to jail while he gets a warrant to search it. And you don't want that, do you? Why don't you just give me permission to search the car? And everything will be ok, promise.

[Hermes Ten]

You're apparently a little confused Kip. The names are at the bottom not the top of the post.

But come on, Kip Esquire isn't you're real name, you're Antonin Scalia. Yeah, "torture" isn't punishment either --ha ha ha-- because they only torture people who haven't been convicted of anything. Maybe you can entertain your cell mate with your semantic quibbling if you ever have to spend a night in jail.