Cops: Man charged after referring to Conn. rampage

[Apparition]

NEW HAVEN, Conn. — Connecticut police say they arrested a man at a management company after he mentioned the shooting rampage across the state that killed nine people and said he understood the killer's mindset.

Fifty-eight-year-old Francis Laskowski of Derby was charged with breach of peace on Wednesday after making the comments while working at Fusco Management Co. in New Haven.

Nine people died in the shootings on Tuesday at Hartford Distributors in Manchester, including gunman Omar Thornton. Thornton told police in a 911 call that he wanted to avenge racial discrimination, allegations that company officials denied.

Laskowski told The Associated Press on Friday that his comments were blown out of proportion. He says his arrest was "ridiculous" and he didn't make any threats.

Laskowski posted bail and is due in New Haven Superior Court on Tuesday.

Source: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hIgcmXBH26HwGaNbu8TRIQw_w3lQD9HDUH880

Land of the free, but surely not free enough for people to speak about certain things.

[Joe King]

In these type of stories, it would be so nice if they actually included the exact comments that they are saying constitutes a crime.

If he was just discussing such a persons mindset, they went way overboard.

But if he said something like, "don't make me go "Omar" on your a$$es"....or something to that affect, I can see people becoming alarmed.

[k-os]

Breach of peace? WTF is that?

Holy moly, this site would be shut down if it's against the law to say you understand the mindset of that shooter, or Joe Stack or heck, around here . . . Hitler.

Are you f'ing kidding me? I really hope he was on fire and waving a machete when he said that or something, because this is complete bullshit.

[1970 silver art]

This story in the OP just shows that a person has to be very careful of what they say and how they say it online or offline. I suspect that he said more than what was said in the OP's story. Whatever he really said, he said the wrong thing at the wrong place at the wrong time. This is still too fresh in people's mind.

[Joe King]

Breach of peace? WTF is that?

Holy moly, this site would be shut down if it's against the law to say you understand the mindset of that shooter, or Joe Stack or heck, around here . . . Hitler.

Are you f'ing kidding me? I really hope he was on fire and waving a machete when he said that or something, because this is complete bullsh*t.

The problem is, we don't know what he actually said and we can thank poor reporting for that.

If someone took it as a threat, it could be considered a breach of the peace, which is to cause the unsettling of proper public order through one's actions.

So it almost completely depends upon the other persons reaction as to how the authorities react.

All it probably takes is for one person to say they reasonably believed they were being threatened, and the police will react accordingly and at the least, investigate.
Then it becomes up to them as to whether it rises to the level of criminal conduct.

[bonaparte]

I learned already, You keep your dangerous thoughts in your head, alone with just you.

This also gives you more cover if you ever have to act on them.