Those who made death threats against Kyle Williams should be prosecuted??

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Those who made death threats against Kyle Williams should be prosecuted | ProFootballTalk

Those who made death threats against Kyle Williams should be prosecuted??

In the old days, death threats were made in one of three ways: (1) face-to-face; (2) by phone; or (3) by letter. The advantage of the last two options (for the person making the threats) is that the threats could be made anonymously, and without fear of prosecution.

Nowadays, there’s a fourth avenue: the Internet. But regardless of whether the death threat comes via a dummy email address or an account on Twitter or Facebook, the sender can be tracked down by the authorities.

In the case of the death threats supposedly made against 49ers receiver Kyle Williams after his miscues in the NFC title game, the authorities should track down the information, and prosecute those who made the threats to the full extent of the law. If behavior like that is tolerated, it will be repeated. Conversely, if these threats are made and the only reaction is a shrug and/or an acceptance that indignities like this go with the territory, the threats will continue. And they’ll intensify.

At some point, a failure to prevent these kinds of threats could result in someone feeling sufficiently emboldened to take action, and we could have our own Andrés Escobar situation.

 

[Kinzu]

I think that logic is over thinking the issue.
Their is not way to prevent people from doing stupid things.

 

[notmyfault]

Too difficult to investigate and prosecute.

Even if they were able to locate the suspect(s) by IP or login information, etc...Investigators would have to prove that the suspect was the one using the computer and/or facebook/twitter/email account. It's almost impossible to prove beyond a reasonable doubt.

And for criminal threats (422PC) in California to be prosecuted/convicted, the state must prove a) the suspect had the immediate ability to carry out the threats b) the threat was specific and c) KW feared for his life for a sustained amount of time.

Too difficult to prove by some idiot fan's twitter threats or whatever electronic avenue was chosen to make the threats on.

 

[CalamityX11]

Instead of opening a new thread. Something positive for Kyle and hopefully he gets it.

Awwww: Read a 7-year-old?s heart-melting letter to Kyle Williams | Shutdown Corner - Yahoo! Sports

 

[NinerSickness]

I think that logic is over thinking the issue.
Their is not way to prevent people from doing stupid things.

Disagree 100%. There's no way to PREVENT people from doing stupid things, but there is a way to institute JUSTICE by throwing the offender in prison.

Threatening someone's life is dead serious. What if someone emailed you & said they were going to kill your wife? Would you say, "Ehh.... People will do stupid things; can't prevent it"?

I know all you moral relativists out there are tired of me talking about justice; I've defended the idea in many threads. So please don't turn this into a debate. You can disagree, but I believe that justice deters other people from committing the same offense.

 

[NinerSickness]

Justice is a forgotten principle in these times. If it's impossible to prove that's one thing. However, in a lot of cases it wouldn't be that hard to prove because most computers have passwords in order to log on. If it were done in a public place it where he was caught on camera it would be even easier to prove. I know the police are usually over-worked and under-staffed though (especially in Oakland).

 

[Kinzu]

I meant people do stupid things in that no matter what you do to try and prevent it that it will still happen some way or another.

A lot of people say things when they are angry and upset and a lot of people were angry and upset after Sundays lost. I think the majority of the people have now come to their senses though like most rational people do. It should not be a crime to show emotion or speak your mind even if your words are harsh.

Also making it a crime and trying to curb society away from making such statements is not going to cure the issue. It's not saying "I'm going to kill someone" that makes people actually do it or accept that behavior as ok. If you're far enough off of the edge that you don't understand the laws and morales of society then you have issues and need help. The fact that you tell them it's a crime to say you're going to kill someone would irrelevant because if they have the mental makeup to actually do it then they will regardless.

I honestly think the majority of the population could pull off a murder or robbery and get away with it if they really wanted to, but 99% of us never will and not because of laws that have been put in place. We never will because we respect the morale code and rules of being part of society. We understand that fine line between what you say and what you do. We also realize that actions give things power, and if we all just suddenly started robbing and killing it that would make it acceptable and create a world we could not live in together.

This to me is kinda like how every year they try to introduce some type of law against violence or sex in movies or games as if violent crimes and abuse would suddenly end if not for the influence of entertainment. The problem has never been a form of entertainment influencing one's action as if it brainwashes them. The problem is always much more personal and much deeper.

If you really want to eliminate issues that cause violent crimes then I would say money causes 90% of them. Do you think we should eliminate the dollar bill?

 

[Flyingiguana]

if we threw all the people who made stupid twitter comments in jail, we'd have nobody left to make me big macs

 

[NinerSickness]

It should not be a crime to show emotion or speak your mind even if your words are harsh.

It should be, and is, if you threaten someon's life. Harsh is one thing; illegal is another. Saying "I'm going to kill SOMEONE" is different from saying... well I don't even want to type it... from threatening a specific person's life.

 

[Kinzu]

It should be, and is, if you threaten someon's life. Harsh is one thing; illegal is another. Saying "I'm going to kill SOMEONE" is different from saying... well I don't even want to type it... from threatening a specific person's life.

Actually I will agree somewhat on this. I don't think people should be telling Kyle Williams they want to kill him or threatening his family. That is pushing it to far. However turning and telling your buddy you wanted to kill Kyle Williams after the game is different. You're expressing your frustration in the moment not making a direct threat on a persons life.

 

[NinerSickness]

Word.

 

[RedneckNiner]

Kyle Williams should be prosecuted for accesory to larceny for helping the Giants steal a win.

 

[Arete Tzu]

It depends what it is. If it was people running to twitter to vent their first emotional impulse, then no, that has to be forgiven IMO. If they went out of their way to actually contact him and give a threat, that is more serious, for Kyles sake it can't be overlooked. I'm sure some of those where emotional outbursts too, but even for an emotional outburst it goes far.

 

[Arete Tzu]

Kyle Williams should be prosecuted for accesory to larceny for helping the Giants steal a win.

lmao this too, kyle can't get away unpunished.