Legal Research

It’s Never Too Early To Start Running For Reelection

Both Wired and the NY Times are reporting that the American Civil Liberties Union is suing the Wyoming County District Attorney for civil rights violations in a “sexting” case. (There’s a new word for you. Sexting involves sending a provocative picture of yourself — nude, semi-nude, semi-gloss, whatever, it’s your choice — to someone’s mobile phone. I’m told it’s quite popular with young people, who, apparently, have nothing to hide.) Anyway, the case involves 2 girls who posed shirtless (but wearing bras) and 1 girl who was photographed nude from the waist up.

According to Wired, DA George P. Skumanick:

“sent a letter to 20 students, including the three girls, who were found in possession of [sexting] images. In a meeting with the students and their parents, he said he would file felony charges against the students unless they agreed to six months of probation, among other terms. He gave the parents 48 hours to agree. The parents of the three girls in the ACLU suit refused to sign. Skumanick then threatened to charge the girls with producing child porn unless their parents agreed to the probation, and sent the teenagers to a five-week, 10-hour education program to discuss why what they did was wrong and what it means to be a girl in today’s society. The girls would also have to subject themselves to drug testing — a standard probation term in the county.”

I’m not saying that sexting isn’t a problem. And I’m also not saying that I wouldn’t want to ream my daughter out if she did something like that. But I do want to note that both articles mention the fact that George Skumanick is running for reelection this year.

Full post as published by Jenkins Webblits on March 26, 2009 (boomark / email).