Political Crossfire Forums

Bull · Joined: 14 Jun 2005 Posts: 3044 Location: North Carolina

So You Say This Thing Couldn't Be Misused Eh?

Quote: A couple's ill-concealed sexual play aboard a Southwest Airlines flight from Los Angeles got them charged with violating the Patriot Act, intended for terrorist acts, and could land them in jail for 20 years.
According to their indictment, Carl Persing and Dawn Sewell were allegedly snuggling and kissing inappropriately, "making other passengers uncomfortable," when a flight attendant asked them to stop.

"Persing was observed nuzzling or kissing Sewell on the neck, and ... with his face pressed against Sewell's vaginal area. During these actions, Sewell was observed smiling," reads the indictment filed by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

On a second warning from the flight attendant, Persing snapped back threatening the flight attendant with "serious consequences" if he did not leave them alone.

The comment was enough to have the couple, both in their early 40s, arrested when the plane reached its destination in Raleigh, North Carolina, and charged with obstructing a flight attendant and with criminal association.

They have been placed under legal surveillance until their trial on February 5. If found guilty, they both could be sent to jail for up to 20 years.

Persing's lawyer William Peregoy said his client was not feeling well when he placed his head on his companion's lap, and that he only threatened the flight attendant with reporting him to his superiors on landing.

Wow...since when is obscene sexual activity (while rude and disrupting) on a plane worth up to 20 years in prison? The Patriot Act was ceated to protect us from terrorism. And here some people thought terrorism would only be defined one way.

mr.snruB · Joined: 21 Oct 2006 Posts: 7136 Location: Ontario, Canada

Good. Finally we're doing something to stop all these romantic extremists

Divinity11 · Joined: 14 Oct 2004 Posts: 4484 Location: The Dirty

She must not have been hot. Nothing would have happened if she were hot.

Charlie Man · Joined: 02 Aug 2005 Posts: 4643

Damn you public indecency!

The terrorists have gotten cannier. They're now trying to destroy america by corrupting our moral fibre.

flamboyant · Joined: 25 Mar 2006 Posts: 1881

The headline is definately attention grabbing, a couple details put a little more perspective on it . . .

Quote: with his face pressed against Sewell's vaginal area.

Quote: On a second warning from the flight attendant, Persing snapped back threatening the flight attendant with "serious consequences" if he did not leave them alone.

So it's not really the kissing (or the muff diving) but a threatening statement being made on a flight.

That being said, I'm sure most judges would throw this out (probation maybe) and I'm damn sure that any jury would throw this out . . . let's hope they're smart enough to go with a jury trial just in case they happened to land a nutjob of a judge.

The Comrade · Joined: 16 Jul 2006 Posts: 12039 Location: Zagreb

Bull wrote:
Wow...since when is obscene sexual activity (while rude and disrupting) on a plane worth up to 20 years in prison? The Patriot Act was ceated to protect us from terrorism. And here some people thought terrorism would only be defined one way.

yeah because they'll obviously go to jail for twenty years.

clearly the justice system is that stupid.

Charlie Man · Joined: 02 Aug 2005 Posts: 4643

The defendant says he threatened the attendant with being reported to his superiors. But yeah, that does seem to be what the fuss is about. I don't know, I still think it's hillarious. And even if she still had her pants on, anything containing the phrase "face pressed against [her] vaginal area" has to be good.

VinceDee · Posted: Wed Nov 15, 2006 9:17 pm Post subject:

Whoever filed these charges against this couple needs to be fired...on the spot. Clearly, this is a person who doesn't have the competence or judgement to prosecute cases.

I think it's obvious that this couple was wrong in acting the way they did in a public area, so I would think it's obvious that their carrying on (and then overtly refusing to stop) should result in some kind of punishment. A fine, a forced cold shower, maybe a night in jail. But being charged under the Patriot Act, with a potential 20 year sentence on the line, just makes an abomination of the American legal system.

But it's hardly surprising; this is what Americans do nowadays.

Vince

el_hombre_de_Dios

The Comrade wrote: Bull wrote:
Wow...since when is obscene sexual activity (while rude and disrupting) on a plane worth up to 20 years in prison? The Patriot Act was ceated to protect us from terrorism. And here some people thought terrorism would only be defined one way.

yeah because they'll obviously go to jail for twenty years.

clearly the justice system is that stupid.

Stupid? More like the people who hyped this unadulterated crap (and the lemming type mindset of those who can't see through it). :lol:

flamboyant · Joined: 25 Mar 2006 Posts: 1881

el_hombre_de_Dios wrote: The Comrade wrote: Bull wrote:
Wow...since when is obscene sexual activity (while rude and disrupting) on a plane worth up to 20 years in prison? The Patriot Act was ceated to protect us from terrorism. And here some people thought terrorism would only be defined one way.

yeah because they'll obviously go to jail for twenty years.

clearly the justice system is that stupid.

Stupid? More like the people who hyped this unadulterated crap (and the lemming type mindset of those who can't see through it). :lol:

Well said. Hey Bull, can we expect an update when the kissing couple is cleared Under Patriot Act?

JohnM · Joined: 16 Jun 2006 Posts: 292 Location: SC

Bull wrote: So You Say This Thing Couldn't Be Misused Eh?

Quote: A couple's ill-concealed sexual play aboard a Southwest Airlines flight from Los Angeles got them charged with violating the Patriot Act, intended for terrorist acts, and could land them in jail for 20 years.
According to their indictment, Carl Persing and Dawn Sewell were allegedly snuggling and kissing inappropriately, "making other passengers uncomfortable," when a flight attendant asked them to stop.

"Persing was observed nuzzling or kissing Sewell on the neck, and ... with his face pressed against Sewell's vaginal area. During these actions, Sewell was observed smiling," reads the indictment filed by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

On a second warning from the flight attendant, Persing snapped back threatening the flight attendant with "serious consequences" if he did not leave them alone.

The comment was enough to have the couple, both in their early 40s, arrested when the plane reached its destination in Raleigh, North Carolina, and charged with obstructing a flight attendant and with criminal association.

They have been placed under legal surveillance until their trial on February 5. If found guilty, they both could be sent to jail for up to 20 years.

Persing's lawyer William Peregoy said his client was not feeling well when he placed his head on his companion's lap, and that he only threatened the flight attendant with reporting him to his superiors on landing.

Wow...since when is obscene sexual activity (while rude and disrupting) on a plane worth up to 20 years in prison? The Patriot Act was ceated to protect us from terrorism. And here some people thought terrorism would only be defined one way.
Spin much? What in the hell makes you think that they actually will get 20 years? And just because this falls under the purview of the Patriot Act doesn't mean that it would be legal if the Patriot Act didn't exist, and I would be willing to bet that the consequences would be the same regardless.

Geronimo · Joined: 15 Nov 2006 Posts: 73 Location: Boogeyland

Why would kissing and snuggling invoke The Patriot Act? The patriot act enables government authority more power, in hopes of finding and persecuting possible and/or known terrorists. If the couple were snuggling on a plane, and "making other passengers uncomfortable", at the most they could have been dealt with after the flight was completed with the police in the airport. Everyone is uncomfortable in an airplane, and the report indicates that no actual exposure of body parts ever happened. This is an exertion of power and authority, and deserves another trial.

Tono · Joined: 23 Jan 2005 Posts: 11742 Location: Mounted

The Comrade wrote: yeah because they'll obviously go to jail for twenty years.

clearly the justice system is that stupid.

This is the same justice system that doesn't send hot pedophile teachers to prison because she's "too pretty".

pyrophasma · Joined: 19 Sep 2006 Posts: 591 Location: Georgia

Why does OP hate freedom?

JohnM · Joined: 16 Jun 2006 Posts: 292 Location: SC

Geronimo wrote: Why would kissing and snuggling invoke The Patriot Act? The patriot act enables government authority more power, in hopes of finding and persecuting possible and/or known terrorists. If the couple were snuggling on a plane, and "making other passengers uncomfortable", at the most they could have been dealt with after the flight was completed with the police in the airport. Everyone is uncomfortable in an airplane,and the report indicates that no actual exposure of body parts ever happened. This is an exertion of power and authority, and deserves another trial.
If they were being charged with indecent exposure, then that would matter, however, the threat to the flight attendant is the main issue. Also, there has been no trial yet, as they were just arrested a day or two ago.

The Comrade · Joined: 16 Jul 2006 Posts: 12039 Location: Zagreb

Tono wrote:

This is the same justice system that doesn't send hot pedophile teachers to prison because she's "too pretty".

different judge, different case, different circumstances.

sLiPpY · Joined: 24 Nov 2004 Posts: 10094

Bull wrote: So You Say This Thing Couldn't Be Misused Eh?

Quote: A couple's ill-concealed sexual play aboard a Southwest Airlines flight from Los Angeles got them charged with violating the Patriot Act, intended for terrorist acts, and could land them in jail for 20 years.
According to their indictment, Carl Persing and Dawn Sewell were allegedly snuggling and kissing inappropriately, "making other passengers uncomfortable," when a flight attendant asked them to stop.

"Persing was observed nuzzling or kissing Sewell on the neck, and ... with his face pressed against Sewell's vaginal area. During these actions, Sewell was observed smiling," reads the indictment filed by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

On a second warning from the flight attendant, Persing snapped back threatening the flight attendant with "serious consequences" if he did not leave them alone.

The comment was enough to have the couple, both in their early 40s, arrested when the plane reached its destination in Raleigh, North Carolina, and charged with obstructing a flight attendant and with criminal association.

They have been placed under legal surveillance until their trial on February 5. If found guilty, they both could be sent to jail for up to 20 years.

Persing's lawyer William Peregoy said his client was not feeling well when he placed his head on his companion's lap, and that he only threatened the flight attendant with reporting him to his superiors on landing.

Wow...since when is obscene sexual activity (while rude and disrupting) on a plane worth up to 20 years in prison? The Patriot Act was ceated to protect us from terrorism. And here some people thought terrorism would only be defined one way.

I wonder if that were a certain "American Airlines" flight, with a uhh, certain "he?" flight attendant?

The Newb · Joined: 06 Oct 2006 Posts: 2668

Bull wrote: So You Say This Thing Couldn't Be Misused Eh?

Quote: A couple's ill-concealed sexual play aboard a Southwest Airlines flight from Los Angeles got them charged with violating the Patriot Act, intended for terrorist acts, and could land them in jail for 20 years.
According to their indictment, Carl Persing and Dawn Sewell were allegedly snuggling and kissing inappropriately, "making other passengers uncomfortable," when a flight attendant asked them to stop.

"Persing was observed nuzzling or kissing Sewell on the neck, and ... with his face pressed against Sewell's vaginal area. During these actions, Sewell was observed smiling," reads the indictment filed by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

On a second warning from the flight attendant, Persing snapped back threatening the flight attendant with "serious consequences" if he did not leave them alone.

The comment was enough to have the couple, both in their early 40s, arrested when the plane reached its destination in Raleigh, North Carolina, and charged with obstructing a flight attendant and with criminal association.

They have been placed under legal surveillance until their trial on February 5. If found guilty, they both could be sent to jail for up to 20 years.

Persing's lawyer William Peregoy said his client was not feeling well when he placed his head on his companion's lap, and that he only threatened the flight attendant with reporting him to his superiors on landing.

Wow...since when is obscene sexual activity (while rude and disrupting) on a plane worth up to 20 years in prison? The Patriot Act was ceated to protect us from terrorism. And here some people thought terrorism would only be defined one way.

Quote: On a second warning from the flight attendant, Persing snapped back threatening the flight attendant with "serious consequences" if he did not leave them alone.

this is the ilegal part, after warnings made threats on a plane, good one

get on a plane and say "b0mb" and see what happens even before the patriot act

i do not think they will get 20 years, they will most likely get probation and well deserved, there is no need to threaten someone doing his job, and trying to keep "all" of his passengers in a comfortable environment

micfranklin · Posted: Wed Nov 15, 2006 11:29 pm Post subject:

What does kissing and whatnot have to do with the Patriot Act? Causing disruptions is one thing, but 20 years for that s**t?

Our justice system cannot be that retarded.

Refrozen Seabass · Joined: 19 Apr 2005 Posts: 2899

JohnM wrote: And just because this falls under the purview of the Patriot Act doesn't mean that it would be legal if the Patriot Act didn't exist, and I would be willing to bet that the consequences would be the same regardless.

How much? How much are you willing to bet that laws concerning lewd and lascivious behaviour or maybe public indecency would include a 20-year jail sentence? I'd be tempted to take you up on that bet if I thought you'd honour it.

It seems you're okay with laws designed to ensure national security being used to harass people engaged in activity that has nothing to do with national security. Why is this?