Weapons charge for a baseball bat ...

[novelist_wannabe]

Baseball player threatened female with the bat and was arrested. I won't dispute that the threat should be addressed, but the weapons charge seems to be stretching things.

http://blogs.ajc.com/uga-sports-blog/2012/08/31/kyle-carter-uga-pitcher-and-former-little-league-world-series-star-arrested-on-weapons-charge/

 

[LongTimeListener]

So you don't think a baseball bat can inflict serious injury?

 

[Azrael]

It's explained in the story:

"The bat’s a weapon under the Georgia code section. A bat can be used for athletic purposes, but once it’s used as a weapon, it becomes a weapon on school grounds.”

If you attacked someone with a bat or a cinder block or a broken bottle you'd still be charged for "Assault with a Deadly Weapon," despite the original intention of the object in question.

 

[novelist_wannabe]

I'd like to know more about the exchange between him and the girl.

 

[sgreenwell]

From the story, it says he specifically mentioned using the bat against her, at least according to police. At least in Rhode Island, that would mean a felony assault or assault with a dangerous weapon charge. In one case that I can remember, a gang member used a baseball bat to fracture someone's skull, and only with two or three swings, according to witnesses. I'm not sure why there would be any confusion about why there would be a weapons charge for this, although unless he has previous offenses, I imagine it gets pleaded down or dismissed.

 

[waterytart]

I'd like to know more about the exchange between him and the girl.

Because maybe he had a good reason for threatening her with the bat?

 

[Armchair_QB]

So you don't think a baseball bat can inflict serious injury?

Not in the hands of any of the current members of the Chicago Cubs.