Jared Marcum Charge: 14-Year-Old Who Wore NRA Shirt To School Faces Year In Jail

[CrazyJudy]

Jared Marcum, the 14-year-old who was arrested and suspended from school after refusing to take off a National Rifle Association shirt, is facing up to a year in jail.

In April, Marcum caused a furor at his West Virginia middle school when he showed up in a T-shirt sporting the NRA logo, a picture of a gun and the slogan "Protect your right." Despite being asked several times by school officials to remove the garment, Marcum kept it on, reportedly saying he was not violating the school’s dress code and was exercising his First Amendment rights.

Last week, Marcum appeared in court and was officially handed the charge of obstructing an officer, reports CBS affiliate WOWK-TV. According to the Logan County Police Department, Marcum would not stop talking during the incident at the school, which prevented the attending officer from doing his job. However, Marcum's attorney, Ben White, told WOWK that the officer's arrest report did not mention the boy's allegedly excessive talking.

Nevertheless, Marcum faces a $500 fine and up to a year in jail.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/17/jared-marcum-charge-nra-shirt_n_3456142.html?ir=Politics

[Kolesar]

1. "Mob hits for Jesus"

http://www.pbs.org/teachers/learning.now/2007/06/supreme_court_rules_against_st.html

I could imagine what kind of father he must have.

[JoeyT]

2. A year in jail for a t-shirt?

Now I realize he probably won't get that, but that's just silly.

A suspension would be fine, but criminal charges for a t-shirt? Yeesh.

[muriel_volestrangler]

5. No, a year in jail for not shutting up, which may be even worse

Suspended and arrested after refusing to change his NRA shirt. Today, 14-year-old Jared Marcum appeared before a judge and was officially charged with obstructing an officer.

A $500 fine and up to a year in jail, that's the penalty that Jared could face, now that a judge has allowed the prosecution to move forward with it's obstructing an officer charge against him.
...
The Logan County Police Department initially claimed that the at-the-time 8th grade Logan Middle School student was arrested for disturbing the education process, obstructing an officer and Lardieri says that officers even went as far as threatening to charge Jared with making terroristic threats.
...
We obtained official court documents from both sides of this case. On one hand, the arresting officer from the Logan City Police Department, James Adkins, claims that when Jared refused to stop talking, that hindered his ability to do his job, hence, the obstruction charge. On the other side, Ben White points out that nowhere in the arresting officer's petition, does it mention Jared ever making any threats or acting in a violent manner.

http://www.wowktv.com/story/22587338/14-year-old-at-the-center-of-nra-t-shirt-controversy-now-facing-possibility-of-1-year-in-jail

It seems you may have a right to remain silent, but you don't have a right to keep talking. Charging a 14 year old with this seems particularly ridiculous and oppressive.

[struggle4progress]

3. He won't get a year of jail for wearing a T-shirt. WVC §61-5-17 might earn him a $50 fine plus

costs for being a PITA

[obama2terms]

4. That's crazy

I'm so sick of hearing about kids being arrested for the clothes they wear. I'm not pro NRA and I'm not a gun nut, but seriously that's freedom of expression and speech and he should be able to wear it. The kid must have been so scared when they mentioned a year in jail. He's just a child, that's a bit excessive. Poor kid. If he went against the dress code maybe give him detention or something, but suspension and jail time, WOW!

[Doctor_J]

6. Something is missing here

this sounds like an NRA propaganda piece. No one goes to jail for wearing a T-shirt.

[Bill USA]

7. especially, a 14 yr old! total nonsense!