Wow, someone grew some cajónes here!
I have to say I am more than a little bit surprised here. But it actually happened!
Thirteen individuals, including 12 protesters and a Daily reporter, who were detained by the Stanford Department of Public Safety (SUDPS) and the County Sheriff’s Office, were charged with felony burglary. Protesters barricaded themselves inside the president and provost’s office, located in Building 10 in Main Quad, early Wednesday morning.
Students were suspended and banned from campus for the rest of the quarter until June 12, as the University processes disciplinary referrals to the Office of Community Standards (OCS). Any who are seniors will not be allowed to graduate. Bail for arrested individuals was set to $20,000.
Now being surprised doesn't mean I don't believe this is the correct thing to do. Somewhere along the line, someone has to take a stand here. The only way to stop this sort of behavior is to punish it, rather than coddle it. To wonder how breaking into an office and not leaving becomes a felony, you only have to look at the concept that when you burgle, and you commit other crimes, then you can elevate it to a felony. Similar to what we just witnessed in New York with Trump and the falsified documents. Of course, as is generally the case, the burglary and other crimes will all be charged together (not made up after the fact).
Will these kids scream bloody murder, and will certain politicians attack the decision to charge them as felons? Probably. Is there a chance of some jury nullification from jurists sympathetic to the cause? Certainly. Especially in the liberal state of California. But ultimately these children will learn a lesson going to court, paying for attorneys, not being allowed to graduate, and other miscellaneous life lessons.
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