Portsmouth: Jail/fine for a $0.50 newspaper!

[KBCraig]

In other seacoast news this week, Portsmouth PD had to shoot a raccoon 7 times to kill it. 

http://seacoastonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070816/NEWS/70816011

Stolen Herald leads to fine, jail time
By Elizabeth Dinan
edinan@seacoastonline.com
August 16, 2007 1:42 PM

PORTSMOUTH — A resident of the city's homeless shelter spent a night in jail and was fined the following morning for failing to appear in court three times on an underlying charge of being in possession of a stolen Portsmouth Herald newspaper.

Daniel Pearce, 27, of the Cross Roads House homeless shelter, was arrested Wednesday on an outstanding warrant for his failure to appear in Portsmouth District Court on a class B misdemeanor charge of receiving stolen property.

According to the complaint, written by arresting Officer Nicole Mercer, on October 25, 2006, Pearce was in possession of a single copy of the Herald, which he knew had been stolen, "with the purpose of depriving the owner" of the property.

The retail value of the newspaper is fifty cents.

According to district court records, Pearce was scheduled to appear on the charges three different times and when he didn't, warrants were issued for his arrest.

In the custody of local police Thursday, he was brought before District Court Judge Sharon DeVries, who imposed a $200 fine, with $100 of it suspended, plus a $20 penalty assessment. DeVries granted Pearce's request for $50 credit toward the fine for the day he was held in pre-trial confinement, leaving a balance of $70 which he said he could not immediately pay. A court order was issued for Pearce to pay the balance by Monday, or to pay it off serving additional jail time.

[error]

In other seacoast news this week, Portsmouth PD had to shoot a raccoon 7 times to kill it. 

That just goes to show that only citizens should have guns. Police can't be trusted with them.

[Pat K]

Well in the officers defense, he said he would not
have shot the raccoon but it pulled a gun on him.

[KBCraig]

Well in the officers defense, he said he would not
have shot the raccoon but it pulled a gun on him.

And it was wearing a mask!

[CA_Libertarian]

In other seacoast news this week, Portsmouth PD had to shoot a raccoon 7 times to kill it. 

That just goes to show that only citizens should have guns. Police can't be trusted with them.

That reminded me of this story where a cop accidently killed a 5-yr-old boy while trying to kill a snake.  So sad...

[shyfrog]

Well in the officers defense, he said he would not
have shot the raccoon but it pulled a gun on him.