A little Flag respect

[westcoaststrokin]

Some states still respect the flag. This story was taken from my hometown newspaper. Thought you guys would find it interesting.




Flag theft, burning could mean criminal charges for two teens
Election Day flag taken from Clarkston video store was burned in Lewiston

By Brad W. Gary

Wednesday, November 14, 2007

The election night burning of an American flag has led to a police investigation, and questions about criminal charges against a pair of teenage boys.

Five Lewiston High School students were reportedly identified in the burning from surveillance video taken from the Southway Avenue Zip Trip station Nov. 6. The American flag had reportedly been stolen earlier from Clarkston, part of an Election Day display.

Clarkston police said they intend to file misdemeanor petit theft charges against the 16-year-old boy accused of stealing the flag from near the former TR Video in Clarkston, Officer John Morbeck said. But Lewiston Police Officer Jon Petrie said he is consulting with Nez Perce County prosecutors on possible charges against the 15-year-old boy accused of lighting the flag on fire. Lewiston police investigators said criminal charges could range from illegal burning to a little-known Idaho law that makes it a crime to burn the flag.

Petrie, the school's resource officer, said a Lewiston High School administrator was able to identify the students from the video. The teens reportedly later admitted their involvement during an interview at the school, he said.

"They admitted taking the flag from Clarkston and bringing it over here and burning it," Petrie said.

The flag burning was not part of a political message, Petrie said; the kids just wanted to see if it would burn.

The three other students were not involved with the burning or theft, Petrie said, other than being present in the car.

No charges have been filed in the burning itself, but officers said the case remains under investigation. Officers said last week charges of misdemeanor arson or illegal burning could apply in the case.

But after learning about Idaho's flag-burning law, police investigators said this week charges could be considered under the 1981 state code that makes it a misdemeanor to publicly mutilate the American flag. Whether such a charge would be sought by prosecutors was not known Tuesday night.

Because those accused in the incident are younger than 18, police investigators expected charges to be filed in juvenile court.

Lewiston fire and police crews responded to the gas station on Southway Avenue at about 7 p.m., a few minutes after one of the boys allegedly lit the flag on fire near the store's car vacuum cleaners. The group had just left the scene in a white Mercedes when officers arrived.

Witnesses told police they saw one of the youths drag and walk on the flag, later setting it on fire.

Morbeck confirmed Lewiston police reports would be referred to Clarkston police later this week.

[Strõkër~X]

maybe we should try to set them on fire...i bet their parents are disgraced...

[westcoaststrokin]

The sad thing is they will probably get off with nothing. I go to work everyday to defend the rights of people like that. I would be willing to bet there parents aren't proud.