Student Arrested for Terrorist Threat

**Theophylact** · March 2nd, 2005, 01:59 PM

He wrote a short story about zombies taking over a high school:

A George Rogers Clark High School junior arrested Tuesday for making terrorist threats told LEX 18 News Thursday that the "writings" that got him arrested are being taken out of context.

Winchester police say William Poole, 18, was taken into custody Tuesday morning. Investigators say they discovered materials at Poole's home that outline possible acts of violence aimed at students, teachers, and police.

Poole told LEX 18 that the whole incident is a big misunderstanding. He claims that what his grandparents found in his journal and turned into police was a short story he wrote for English class.

"My story is based on fiction," said Poole, who faces a second-degree felony terrorist threatening charge. "It's a fake story. I made it up. I've been working on one of my short stories, (and) the short story they found was about zombies. Yes, it did say a high school. It was about a high school over ran by zombies."

Even so, police say the nature of the story makes it a felony. "Anytime you make any threat or possess matter involving a school or function it's a felony in the state of Kentucky," said Winchester Police detective Steven Caudill.

Poole disputes that he was threatening anyone.

"It didn't mention nobody who lives in Clark County, didn't mention (George Rogers Clark High School), didn't mention no principal or cops, nothing," said Poole. "Half the people at high school know me. They know I'm not that stupid, that crazy."

On Thursday, a judge raised Poole's bond from one to five thousand dollars after prosecutors requested it, citing the seriousness of the charge.

Poole is being held at the Clark County Detention Center.

The kid needs to learn grammar; the cop and the judge need to learn the Constitution.

Zombies have taken over the state.

**GroundZero3** · March 2nd, 2005, 02:03 PM

okay two questions come to mind. 1. Why are his grandparent going through an 18 year olds journal? 2. Why did they turn it into the police.

either way this is so stupid.

**Mike** · March 2nd, 2005, 02:05 PM

Originally Posted by From Theo's Link

Even so, police say the nature of the story makes it a felony. "Anytime you make any threat or possess matter involving a school or function it's a felony in the state of Kentucky," said Winchester Police detective Steven Caudill.

Hmm, I wonder if the F.B.I. is going to take over this case?

Originally Posted by From Theo's Link

who faces a second-degree felony terrorist threatening charge.

Any idea on what this kind of sentence this kid will get, if he is charged?

The poor kid looks like he is going to be severely shafted.

Originally Posted by Theophylact

The kid needs to learn grammar; the cop and the judge need to learn the Constitution.

**ShawnD1** · March 2nd, 2005, 02:07 PM

That's straight up Fahrenheit 451. Pigs/government telling us that writing is now illegal.
And what the hell is up with that kid's grandparents? They turn in their own grandson for writing stories? I truly hope he never speaks to them again; they've clearly shown that they don't value family at all.

**cyphen** · March 2nd, 2005, 02:11 PM

Well, we do need to bear in mind there is a difference between being accused (which is a product of the grandparents filing a report or whatever) and being convicted.

He clearly won't be convicted, so there ya go.

If he is, get back to me. THEN we have a civil liberties issue!

**no1_vern** · March 2nd, 2005, 02:27 PM

I dont agree with what the Gparents did, but I can see their fears. They mistook the story as an actual "fantasy plan", like what the columbine murderers had. They might actually believe they had to act this way to prevent another columbine from happening.

**GroundZero3** · March 2nd, 2005, 02:31 PM

so Zombie taking over a school equal Columbine now? How about confronting the 18 year old about the story first? If they are his gaurdians they should of been the parent and talk to the child. Heck taking him to see someone to talk would of been alot better than to the police. What about the other journal entries? Were there alot of stories about the school being taken over? Or was this just one story out of many different types? Probably something the grandparents didnt think about.

Now look where it has gotten him

It seems like grown ups dont want to deal with kids so they pass it onto someone else.

**Theophylact** · March 2nd, 2005, 02:32 PM

Originally Posted by cyphen

Well, we do need to bear in mind there is a difference between being accused (which is a product of the grandparents filing a report or whatever) and being convicted.

He clearly won't be convicted, so there ya go.

If he is, get back to me. THEN we have a civil liberties issue!

So: If you're arrested unjustly, have to spend time in jail, have to come up with bail money, have to pay for a defense attorney, have to undergo a trial, everything's fine as long as you're eventually freed. Do I understand you correctly?

**ShawnD1** · March 2nd, 2005, 02:42 PM

Originally Posted by no1_vern

I dont agree with what the Gparents did, but I can see their fears. They mistook the story as an actual "fantasy plan", like what the columbine murderers had. They might actually believe they had to act this way to prevent another columbine from happening.

What kind of kid makes plans without pictures? Would your kill-everybody plan be "I stand guard in the hallway" or a sketch of a 2D floor plan indicating where you would be, possible areas the SWAT team could flank you, all school exits, etc?
Plans are drawn up as just that - plans. They're not written down like a story.

**Blazer06** · March 2nd, 2005, 02:56 PM

Hell, I've written worse stories than that. I've actually written (and submitted) stories that detailingly explain how to carry out a school bombing / shooting, etc. I've written stories on how to control people, how to gain their trust, and how to use it against them to carry a plan like that out.

btw, I did get an 'A' on them too.

Okay, so 50 or so Zombies are goign to come take over the school. TERRORIST!!! What about all the authors who write stories, for example Tom Clancy... why hasn't he been arrested for his "terrorist plots".

-Blaze

**tony_j15** · March 2nd, 2005, 02:56 PM

not often me and Theo see eye to eye, but amen to everything he's said!

**diode** · March 2nd, 2005, 02:58 PM

We don't know our own civil liberties, untill they're threatened or gone.

**Thud** · March 2nd, 2005, 03:00 PM

I had to check my calendar to confirm that it doesn't say April 1st. Unbelievable.

One thing I will say, though, is that we don't actually know what he did write, only what he says he wrote. It'd have to be pretty heinous for me to believe he deserves the charges they're bringing against him.

**Friedchicken100** · March 2nd, 2005, 03:02 PM

Those are some EVIL grandparents. I think they may have been really looking for his secret stash of Playboy.

**tony_j15** · March 2nd, 2005, 03:06 PM

IMO, it barely matters what he wrote. you can go down to your local bookstore and find plenty of freaky zombie stuff. but do we lock those guys up? no, cuz they are "authors". FTR, they started out as kids with sketchpads too.

**Pexster** · March 2nd, 2005, 03:12 PM

lol, good point about Tom Clancy. Or any mystery/suspense novel that flips from the good guy's viewpoint to the sicko's viewpoint. I can see it now -- Chapter 1, OK. Chapter 2, "You're under arrest!"

**M_Six** · March 2nd, 2005, 03:42 PM

I've found that stories like these are often grossly distorted. I think there is a lot missing from that article. As much as I love to bash moronic bureaucrats, I've got to believe there was more than a "zombie story" here. A story, any story, would be obvious to anyone reading it. But writing things like "I'm going to steal Grandpappy's gun and kill my teacher," with no other context, can be taken as a serious threat. Right now we only have the kid's word on what he wrote. I'd like to see the actual content of the "story" before casting stones.

The Columbine killers made video tapes before the rampage. If those tapes had been found prior to the killings, would you have claimed they were just fantasy and ignored them?

**Zitch** · March 2nd, 2005, 04:22 PM

Originally Posted by M_Six

I've found that stories like these are often grossly distorted. I think there is a lot missing from that article. As much as I love to bash moronic bureaucrats, I've got to believe there was more than a "zombie story" here. A story, any story, would be obvious to anyone reading it. But writing things like "I'm going to steal Grandpappy's gun and kill my teacher," with no other context, can be taken as a serious threat. Right now we only have the kid's word on what he wrote. I'd like to see the actual content of the "story" before casting stones.

The Columbine killers made video tapes before the rampage. If those tapes had been found prior to the killings, would you have claimed they were just fantasy and ignored them?

There are better alternatives than just throwing them in jail, which is the point most people seem to be trying to say.

It's not just black (arrest them) or white (ignore them).

**ShawnD1** · March 2nd, 2005, 04:34 PM

Originally Posted by M_Six

The Columbine killers made video tapes before the rampage. If those tapes had been found prior to the killings, would you have claimed they were just fantasy and ignored them?

Right; I would have ignored it. They're called larpers. Like that movie Bowling for Columbine tried to point out, you can't just say "oh making videos means you're a killer". If you think back to what really happened, as mentioned in that movie, the kids also went bowling before killing people. Would you say we should go to bowling alleys and start rounding up "future murderers"?

People who turn in authors or larpers are probably the same idiots who completely tied up Spokane's police, fire, and ambulance response teams with their stupid fake anthrax calls shortly after 9/11/2001. That anthrax fiasco was an excellent example of what happens when every person tries to "help".
People need to stop reporting crap that isn't important. Your son being a larper is about as important as the "anthrax" aka cornstarch I found on the jeans I picked off the floor.