First Amendment Teen Arrested For NRA T-Shirt Threatened With Gag Order by Court, Reporter Threatened With Arrest by

By now you’ve probably heard about Jared Marcum, the 14 year old boy who was arrested for obstructing an officer who was responding a call by Jared’s school, because Jared was wearing an NRA t-shirt.

At the time of the event I’m sure most people, myself included, thought the arrest would probably be dismissed, however, earlier this month, prosecutors decided to move forward with the case.

Obviously, charging a 14 year old boy over an incident that started over a shirt has generated some press coverage. Now prosecutors have threatened Jared with a gag order, which they only rescinded after Jared waived his right to privacy (due to the fact that he is a minor), according to WOWKTV.

WOWKTV has been the local news organization covering this story from the beginning. The news station tried to intervene in the case, but was met with resistance and was actually threatened by local authorities.

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Charlo Greene, on behalf of WOWK and the free press, prepared a petition to intervene for the gag order hearing but before Charlo could present her argument or even deliver her petition to the court clerk, she was thrown out of the Logan County Courthouse, twice, by a bailiff, who said the judge presiding over Jared’s case, Eric O’Briant requested it. Charlo was then threatened with arrest and the same charge that Jared is currently on trial for, obstructing an officer.

So this is how Logan County does business huh? Threatening teenagers and female reporters who threaten to upset the status quo of your little county court?

Jared faces a $500 fine and up to a year in jail if convicted on the charge. While the teen would most likely get probation and community service over a jail sentence, he will still have a criminal record that will follow him.

Teen Arrested For NRA T-Shirt Threatened With Gag Order by Court, Reporter Threatened With Arrest by Judge
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ORIGINAL STORY
8th grade student suspended, arrested over gun t-shirt

Posted: Apr 18, 2013 11:17 PM EST Updated: May 02, 2013 11:18 PM EST

When 8th grade Jared Marcum got dressed for school on Thursday he says he had no idea that his pro-Second Amendment shirt would initiate what he calls a fight over his First Amendment rights.

"I never thought it would go this far because honestly I don't see a problem with this, there shouldn't be a problem with this," Jared said.

It was the image of a gun printed on Jared's t-shirt that sparked a dispute between a Logan Middle School teacher and Jared, that ended with Jared suspended, arrested and facing two charges, obstruction and disturbing the education process, on his otherwise spotless record.

Jared's father Allen Lardieri says he's angry he had to rush from work to pick his son up from jail over something he says was blown way out of proportion.

"I don't' see how anybody would have an issue with a hunting rifle and NRA put on a t-shirt, especially when policy doesn't forbid it," Lardieri said.

The Logan County School District's dress code policy prohibits clothing that displays profanity, violence, discriminatory messages and more but nowhere in the document does it say anything about gun images.

"He did not violate any school policy," Lardieri reiterates. "He did not become aggressive."

Now, Lardieri says he's ready to fight until the situation is made right.

"I will go to the ends of the earth, I will call people, I will write letters, I will do everything in the legal realm to make sure this does not happen again," Lardieri said.

Logan City Police did confirm that Jared had been arrested and charged today.

13 news tried contacting the Logan County School District but has not heard anything back.

8th grade student suspended, arrested over gun t-shirt - WOWK 13 Charleston, Huntington WV News, Weather, Sports

 

Can there be any question that the left has taken over the schools and the courts? This, of course, is just another of the myriad examples of the successful overthrow of our constitution by the useful idiots of our country most of whom act not with malice but, with (ignorant) good intention. I, personally don't hold out any hope that the country will ever recover. The end was certain once people bought into class envy and then realized that they could vote into office those who would be willing to continue to buy their votes election cycle after election cycle.
I have been attending college for several years beginning at the tender age of 54, with the object of becoming a teacher (yeah,I know you can't tell by my writing skills). The closer I got to the system the more disgusted I became and finally, after much deliberation, decided that I just could not participate in a system that was so intellectually dishonest and agenda driven. I have limited patience for fools, especially destructive fools and would have had difficulties from the start with my 'peers'. I've since changed my major to family counselling and hope I can do some kind of good there.
That is about as far as I am willing to go in order to make a difference, and that is the problem. It seems that none of us are willing to sacrifice much to bring about a reversal of the current decline in freedom and the threat of tyranny. We all have our supplies and plans to hold on to what we can when it all falls apart but, what are we or would we, be willing to do if there was an opportunity to change the trend in this country from decadence to renewal. Embarrassing as it is, I have to admit that I'm just as selfish as the next guy.
The troubling thing about the situation is that the Left in America is so much more dedicated to their cause than most libertarian/conservative/christian citizens.
The Treyvon Martin case brought about numerous protests as does any other socialist cause celebre and yet one never hears of anything even close to that occurring in the present case or the hundreds of others that have taken place in just the last few years. Can you imagine what would have happened if the IRS cadres had singled out liberal groups under a Republican administration? It seems that the only time we are willing to miss a day at work or travel any distance is when our tax dollars are at stake. The right to dispose of our property as we see fit and the right to be free from confiscatory tax policy are certainly patriotic ideals but, just maybe, if we stood up against all kinds of harassment perpetrated against others, in a more vocal and more militant way we wouldn't have to worry about issues that affect our rights to property. I don't believe that we can have any hope for success as long as we stand up for one Constitutional principle without standing for the others as well. I'm aware that this is long winded. My kids used to say, "..don't get dad going or we'll have to sit here for an hour." Well, this got me going.
I am curious what others think.

 

I'm certainly no flag-waving fan of the ACLU.....but I can see where they're likely going to end up turning this bit of foolishness around, and embarassing the DA and judge, if they don't drop this, post haste. Believe me, there's plenty of lawyers that do pro bono work, who would LOVE to get a 1st Amendment case like this, and blow it up in their faces!!

Almost seems like they let it go too long, and now it has taken on a life of its own, and everyone's too embarassed to back down, doesn't it??

 

Almost seems like they let it go too long, and now it has taken on a life of its own, and everyone's too embarassed to back down, doesn't it??[/quote]

I think you're right. Once ego's, and politicians (like DA's and judges) have huge ones, get involved the thing gets out of control. Beside that now that these petty politician have a spotlight they'll play for all it's worth. I feel for the kid.

 

The kid is a fighter. As I understand it, the first day back, he wore the same shirt.

 

They should buy one of those shirts for every kid in the school who is willing to wear it.

 

Good for him. I have noticed in all the gloom that the generation of 15 to 20 year olds contain some pretty patriotic kids. I'm hoping that since the "pigs have taken over the farm" a'la Orwell, maybe the upcoming generation will rebel against the new regime like their parents did. It would be a delight to see the tables turnd on all the silver poneytail crowd!

 

Это не будет хорошо для них, когда придет революция, Иван.

"It will not go well for them when the revolution comes, Ivan."

 

If I had the money, I'd buy.

 

Have to admit, The boy has ''Moxie''.

 

The NRA should give him a membership.

 

I would agree with that. the kid is going to court for standing firm in his convictions. Perhaps the NRA could use a JR Spokesman.

 

Charges DROPPED Against 14 Year Old Arrested Over NRA Shirt Incident

June 28 2013

We’ve been following the case against Jared Marcum, a 14 year old boy in West Virginia, who was arrested on April 18th after refusing to take off an NRA shirt he was wearing in school. The police were called and Jared was arrested for obstructing an officer when he allegedly wouldn’t stop talking.

Last week the prosecuting attorney announced they would move forward with that charge. Then, after the story began to get some press coverage, the prosecutor tried to threaten Jared with a gag order, and a local TV reporter was threatened with arrest for covering the case.

Now, inexplicably, it seems the charges against Jared have been withdrawn. According to WOWKTV, who has been covering the story from start to finish, Jared Marcum’s mother, Tanya Lardieri, was overcome with emotion after signing a dismissal order and cementing the fact that the criminal charges against her 14-year-old son, Jared Marcum, have been withdrawn.

“It should have come sooner but it’s done and we don’t have to have that concern anymore about him having a criminal record” Jared’s father Allen Lardieri tells WOWK. “I’m just glad that it’s over. His mother is glad it’s over.”

Jared’s attorney Ben White calls this a win for common sense. White says he’s heard too many stories of children being penalized for seemingly harmless behavior, just because each of these incidents included gun imagery of one sort or another.

It should also be noted that the shirt was found not to be against the school dress code and Jared has been allowed to wear it back to school since the original incident.

According to WOWKTV, the family may be pursuing civil suits over the incident.

 

I'm so relieved for the kid and his family. I hope they sue evryone involved. I'm not a litigious person but people need to be taught a lesson and money talks.