R.I.P. Scout26
The Seattle City Council is considering new legislation that would create a legal loophole that would make substance addiction, mental illness or poverty a valid legal defense for nearly all misdemeanor crimes committed in the city.
If approved, the ordinance would excuse and dismiss -- essentially legalizing -- almost all misdemeanor crimes committed in Seattle by offenders who could show either: Symptoms of addiction without being required to provide a medical diagnosis; Symptoms of a mental disorder; or Poverty and the crime was committed to meet an "immediate and basic need." For example, if a defendant argued they stole merchandise to sell for cash in order to purchase food, clothes or was trying to scrape together enough money for rent. The accused could not be convicted.
I'll drink to that.
Makes me want to move to Seattle and start a business. I guess to pay my employees $15 per hour to watch people walk out of the store with merchandise. I am sure the cops will show up in force to put a stop to petty theft after that.
So what’s next? I guess we wait for the stores to close and then pass laws because there is a food desert.
This very reason is why Bartell's, a local drugstore chain, have closed their stores in downtown Seattle. The amount of retail shrinkage and injury to their employees was unsustainable.
The new twist is that Herbold wants the new legal defense to be added to the Seattle municipal code. It would provide an affirmative defense for someone who committed a crime because they need to meet a basic need to survive.“The defendant would just have to prove that the needs fit within the definition of immediate basic need,” Asha Venkataraman, a member of the council’s Central Staff, told the Public Safety Committee.
Aren’t there state laws against theft that would apply and not be impacted by a municipal code?
Makes me want to move to Seattle and start a business. I guess to pay my employees $15 per hour to watch people walk out of the store with merchandise.
Holy hell. It's like giving a loaded gun to a chimpanzee...
the last thing you need is rabies. You're already angry enough as it is.OTOH, there wouldn't be a tweeker left in Georgia...
BLOOD FOR THE BLOOD GOD! SKULLS FOR THE SKULL THRONE! AND THROW SOME STEAK ON THE GRILL!
May they get what they want and deserve.
https://www.foxnews.com/us/seattle-area-homeowners-report-sovereign-citizen-property-seizure-attempts-report
That knock on your door? It might be someone attempting to take your home.Police in suburbs north of Seattle say so-called “sovereign citizens” have been visiting homes in at least two communities, presenting homeowners with official-looking documents, and announcing that they’re the rightful owners.In at least one case, a homeowner was told she was being evicted, Seattle’s KIRO-TV reported.
Poor? Addicted to drugs? Mentally ill? Say hello to your get out of jail card.What could possibly go wrong?Seattle City Council mulls law that could result in dismissal of many misdemeanor crimeshttps://komonews.com/news/local/seattle-city-council-mulls-plan-that-could-result-in-dismissal-of-many-misdemeanor-crimes