Teen’s MySpace earns her a visit from the Secret Service
Girl questioned after threatening Bush on MySpace:
SACRAMENTO, CALIF. - The latest Sacramento resident to be questioned by federal agents for threatening President Bush is a 14-year-old girl who is passionate about liberal politics and cute movie stars.
Julia Wilson learned a vivid civics lesson Wednesday when two Secret Service agents pulled her out of class to ask about comments and images she posted on MySpace.
Beneath the words “Kill Bush,” Wilson posted a cartoonish photo-collage of a knife stabbing the hand of the president. It was one of a few images Wilson said she used to decorate an anti-Bush Web page she moderated on MySpace, the social networking website that is hugely popular among teenagers.
The Secret Service refused to answer questions about the case or even confirm an investigation.
But Wilson’s mother, Kirstie, and an assistant principal at McClatchy High said two agents showed them badges stating they were with the Secret Service and the Department of Homeland Security.
Federal law prohibits making true threats against the president, and Julia and her parents say what she did was wrong.
The couple are disturbed however, that federal agents questioned a child at school without her parents present.
MySpace’s search feature is down right now so I wasn’t able to find the MySpace in question.
Anyway the parents are disturbed that the Secret Service questioned someone who made a threat against the President of the United Sates without her parents. You would think they would be more disturbed that their daughter is posting things like this to begin with. You’d have to be pretty naive not to know that posting something like that will earn you a visit from the Secret Service no matter who the president is.
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POSTED IN: Behavior
3 opinions for Teen’s MySpace earns her a visit from the Secret Service
colette
Oct 13, 2006 at 11:38 pm
Maybe they thought the picture was art, like that movie that shows Bush being killed.
Ronni
Oct 15, 2006 at 1:14 pm
I am disturbed on both counts. Three, actually–the third being that the parents were not keeping a closer eye on her page. 14-year-olds frequently make threats without understanding the seriousness of them. It’s up to parents to keep an eye on the web presence of their underage kids. That being said, however, the thought of a child being questioned without the presence of her parents is profoundly disturbing to me.
Trench
Oct 15, 2006 at 1:18 pm
I may be wrong but I think the only people that need to be there by law are the suspect, and face it this kid was the suspect of a crime at the time, and the suspect’s attorney if they ask for it.
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