Police: No charges to be filed over YouTube video

These from H-L:

Doug Trantham of Danville is upset about a homemade video posted on YouTube that depicts several boys making sexually explicit comments about two girls, including Trantham's 14-year-old daughter, Marcie.

The 3½ -minute video was posted over the weekend. It was taken off YouTube on Tuesday morning. In the video, which was viewed by the Herald-Leader before it as pulled from the Web site, one young man raps about the girls' genitals while two boys make gestures, some of which are lewd.

Two other young men appear briefly in the video, which appears to have been recorded in the bedroom of a private home.

"It's character assassination," Trantham said. "It's sexually explicit, as if these boys are trying to put it out to the entire world that these are two girls ... that you can get your hands on. It's derogatory, exceptionally derogatory, and vulgar."

However...

Danville Police Chief Jay Newell said Wednesday that no charges will be filed in the case of a YouTube video depicting several boys making sexually explicit comments about two middle school girls.

"From our officers' review of the YouTube video, there are no threats or any illegal activity that we can see," Newell said. "It's some kids that have said some rude things and put it on YouTube. but there's no law against being rude." ...

Newell said: "If we charged every middle schooler that said something about another middle schooler or that called them a bad name, if you think the justice system is bogged down now ...."

For the boys to be charged with harassment, Newell said, "we would have to have a continuing course of conduct that served to harass, alarm or annoy the victim." ...

Now, That's Gonna Leave a Mark

This from the News Enterprise:

It's going to leave a mark

ISSUE: Internet bullies

OUR VIEW: It’s time to pay attention

Most people across this country — parents, educators, law enforcement officials, clergy and many others — were shocked when six Florida teenage girls videoed themselves last month taking turns bullying, brutally punching and kneeing a defenseless 16-year-old girl cowering in a fetal position.

However, anyone paying attention to what many teens, and adults, are posting and viewing on the Internet these days wouldn’t have been surprised at all. Fight videos, especially featuring girls, have become common. In fact, Google “girl fight” and you will find thousands of similar videos.

The Florida teenagers, including two boys who stood as guards during the 30-minute videoed mugging, apparently planned to post their assault on YouTube, the online video host, for all the world to see. They didn’t get the chance because when the injured victim finally called 911, police seized the video and released it to the public to be aired repeatedly on TV and posted online.

It clearly is time to begin paying attention to what our young people are putting online, what they are viewing, how they are being influenced and what they are learning there.

The Internet has become a miraculous tool opening opportunities that a few short years ago most of us couldn’t have imagined. As with all technological developments, the digital evolution also presents opportunities for abuse. This, and other types of pornography, are unfortunate examples.

Banning YouTube, as some now demand, is no answer. It serves legitimate communications and educational purposes empower citizen participation. Outlawing it would not be possible, anyway.

The argument that video beatings exercise free speech protected by the First Amendment makes absolutely no sense, either. They are no more free speech than yelling “fire” in a crowded theater.

There does need to be some safeguards, self-policing within families, institutions of education and faith. And when they fail, law enforcement has to sweep in. Parents can and should help by paying attention to what their children are posting and viewing online. It is their responsibility. They should be aware there are ways to find out what sites their children are visiting. And to check routinely.

The latest example of cyber bullying took place in a faraway state. However, in Kentucky, Gov. Steve Beshear on Tuesday signed a bill into law that requires policies against bullying in this state.

A video of a school fight at Madison County Schools was posted recently on YouTube which officials say could be considered a type of “cyber bullying,” according to The Associated Press.

The Florida incident is a warning to anyone who would be tempted to emulate the teen attackers. Not only was their victim seriously injured, possibly suffering a concussion, but their names forever will be associated with the beatings.

And they could go to jail for a long, long time.Tried as adults, as they unquestionably should be, on charges of kidnapping, assault and tampering with a witness, they could spend the rest of their lives in jail. Let’s face it, that’s not very likely to happen. But for the rest of their lives what is sure to happen is every time they apply for jobs, try to enter a college or university or receive security clearances, the video of their brutal spree will be an obstacle. Impressions of their police mug shots and news stories will pop up every time one of their names is typed into a computer search browser.

The realization that such thoughtless deeds have serious, lifelong consequences should send a strong message reverberating across the country, at least for awhile.

Madison County School Fight Posted On You Tube

This from WKYT TV: VIDEO

A fight breaks out at school, grabbing the attention of everyone around.

That's a typical scenario that you'd find in pretty much any school in America. When the fight is over, everyone goes their separate ways with a story to tell.

But what if the victim and all his classmates, in fact anyone with interest, could relive that experience over and over at just the click of a button.

That's exactly what's happening at Madison Central High School, in Richmond.

Earlier this month at the cafeteria, someone recorded a fight between two students, then put the video on You Tube, adding derogatory comments. It's led some to wonder how this may affect the victim.

This isn't a new phenomenon. With a simple search on the popular video search engine, hundreds of fights can be viewed just like the incident at Madison Central.

It's even prompted some legislation here in Kentucky. A bill passed both the House and Senate that would force schools to have a policy in place to deal with cyber-bullying.

As for the fight itself, the Madison County superintendent says disciplinary action has been taken. But because of student confidentiality, won't specify what exactly was done.

The video was posted on You Tube four days ago. It's since been removed.

Another member of the "Jackass" generation provides material evidence for his own arrest - Police tipped off

What are the chances that the tipster was one of the victims?
~
WLEXTV.com reports an AP story:

Pikeville, KY (AP) - A moment on the video-sharing Web site YouTube landed an eastern Kentucky teen in jail.

Charles Jeremy Brown, 18, was charged with 27 counts of menacing, eight counts of criminal mischief and one count of criminal littering after investigators say they saw him on the Web site busting church windows, vandalizing grocery stores and menacing workers at a drive-through restaurant.

Pike County Chief Deputy Sheriff Melvin Sayers said other arrests are possible because at least one juvenile was identified in the 46 videos posted on the Web site. Three or four other people were also seen in the footage, but not immediately identified, Sayers said.

Investigators were tipped to search YouTube.com for "jbrownhoho," Sayers said.

Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.

Are you smarter than a 5th grader? ....How about your average concerned American?

Watch as the video (3:23) as Penn and Teller go to WorldFest to collect signatures to combat the dangerous effects of a common chemical that claims lives! - Dihydrogen Monoxide.

For more disinformation, check out the Dihydrogen Monoxide Research Division.

"Dihydrogen Monoxide...is a colorless and odorless chemical compound... Its basis is the unstable radical Hydroxide, the components of which are found in a number of caustic, explosive and poisonous compounds such as Sulfuric Acid, Nitroglycerine and Ethyl Alcohol."