Further evidence of the death of common sense

[Hawkmoon]

As if we needed more proof.

Synopsis: Man has dispute over bill. Man pays bill ... with pennies. Staff at office call cops. Penny man is arrested.

http://www.deseretnews.com/article/705373882/Police-cite-Vernal-man-accused-of-paying-bill-with-2500-pennies.html

Last I knew, pennies were United States currency and legal tender. Don't know who's more out of it on this one, the office staff who called the cops, or the cops who actually arrested the guy instead of laughing their way from the office to the donut emporium.

[cassandra and sara's daddy]

dumping them on the counter and floor is where he screwed up  particularly the floor

[Ned Hamford]

Title 76 Utah Criminal Code
Chapter 9 Offenses Against Public Order and Decency
Section 102 Disorderly conduct.

     76-9-102.   Disorderly conduct.
     (1) A person is guilty of disorderly conduct if:
     (a) he refuses to comply with the lawful order of the police to move from a public place, or knowingly creates a hazardous or physically offensive condition, by any act which serves no legitimate purpose; or
    (b) intending to cause public inconvenience, annoyance, or alarm, or recklessly creating a risk thereof, he:
     (i) engages in fighting or in violent, tumultuous, or threatening behavior;
     (ii) makes unreasonable noises in a public place;
     (iii) makes unreasonable noises in a private place which can be heard in a public place; or
     (iv) obstructs vehicular or pedestrian traffic.
     (2) "Public place," for the purpose of this section, means any place to which the public or a substantial group of the public has access and includes but is not limited to streets, highways, and the common areas of schools, hospitals, apartment houses, office buildings, transport facilities, and shops.
     (3) Disorderly conduct is a class C misdemeanor if the offense continues after a request by a person to desist. Otherwise it is an infraction.

I guess those pennies made a lot of noise being poured on the counter, or perhaps stopped people from being able to walk around the counter? 

I'd say he wasn't intending a public inconvenience, just one for the medical office hassling over a bill he said he didn't owe.

I'd take the case  

Unfortunately, I don't think you get a jury for an infraction... so lets hope the judge has a sense of humor or at least decency.  But I would say he received a citation, not an arrest.  At least there was just the common sense to give him a ticket rather than actually haul the guy off to jail.

[kgbsquirrel]

Unfortunately, I don't think you get a jury for an infraction... so lets hope the judge has a sense of humor or at least decency.  But I would say he received a citation, not an arrest.  At least there was just the common sense to give him a ticket rather than actually haul the guy off to jail.

Would not the 6th amendment take care of that if they so choose? Even if it's just an "infraction" wouldn't that still apply as it was part of the criminal code?

[Tallpine]

The sad part is pennies are now the only money that is actually worth anything.

He should have paid them with worthless paper.

[makattak]

The sad part is pennies are now the only money that is actually worth anything.

He should have paid them with worthless paper.

Nickels, at last check, have 7¢ worth of nickel in them.

[Tallpine]

Nickels, at last check, have 7¢ worth of nickel in them.

ok, nickels and pennies, then

[DonTron]

"Officers ... issued [West] a citation for disorderly conduct ... which carries a potential fine of $140."


Let's see, that would be 14,000 pennies ...

[Nick1911]

"Officers ... issued [West] a citation for disorderly conduct ... which carries a potential fine of $140."


Let's see, that would be 14,000 pennies ...

 

[brimic]

The sad part is pennies are now the only money that is actually worth anything.

Pennies are made of zinc, which is worth almost nothing.

[Tallpine]

Pennies are made of zinc, which is worth almost nothing.

what happened to the copper 

[birdman]

what happened to the copper 

It went bye-bye a few years ago....you can sort them (new vs old) relatively easily by weight, and pennies have a long circulation life.  Nickels (for now, don't count on it to last) are still made of cupronickel, and thus worth more than face value.  Everything else is basically worthless.

[Tallpine]

Our money is definitely zincing in value 

[TommyGunn]

    I don't know what's worse; the obsession some people here have for detcord, or the obsession some have for puns.
Perhaps we can use detcord on the punners .... and solve both problems. 

[seeker_two]

what happened to the copper 

Still on the job, I'd imagine......




 

[Perd Hapley]

   I don't know what's worse; the obsession some people here have for detcord, or the obsession some have for puns.
Perhaps we can use detcord on the punners .... and solve both problems. 

 We're just talking about the death of common cents.

[Doggy Daddy]

   I don't know what's worse; the obsession some people here have for detcord, or the obsession some have for puns.
Perhaps we can use detcord on the punners .... and solve both problems. 

The status quo must be upheld!  If you'll look at the OP, you'll see that you may be ticketed for too much change.

DD

[kgbsquirrel]

what happened to the copper 

In 1986 they reversed the composition ratio of pennies from 95Cu/5Zn to 95Zn/5Cu.


On an interesting note, if you mix pre-86 and post-86 pennies at a ratio of 7/3 and then melt them down you create cartridge brass. 

[AJ Dual]

Our money is definitely zincing in value 

That would get you a groaner-foul in ComedySportz... 

[Tallpine]

The status quo must be upheld!  If you'll look at the OP, you'll see that you may be ticketed for too much change.

DD

But he asked for no quarter.

[GigaBuist]

Our money is definitely zincing in value 

Here's one for you pun lover.  German Coast guard spoof in a 30 second commercial.  It went around a few years ago:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bIHwIoqTPhU

[MechAg94]

So, did the hospital accept the pennies as payment? 

[Ned Hamford]

Would not the 6th amendment take care of that if they so choose? Even if it's just an "infraction" wouldn't that still apply as it was part of the criminal code?

SCOTUS has ruled, no right to a jury for a mere infraction.  But you can get a judge that was specifically appointed to hear that particular type of case... often those courts are held in the city dept. of finance building, so you know they are legit. 

[red headed stranger]

Pennies are made of zinc, which is worth almost nothing.

Yep.  At this point, if you are at an overseas military exchange, they round everything to the nearest nickel.  Pennies are way too expensive to transport. 

[Doggy Daddy]

But he asked for no quarter.

And here it is: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RKOngTfTMs0

So, we start with copper pennies
and arrive at a Led Zeppelin...

DD