Jason Thomas yesterday entered a plea of guilty to Cyber Bullying in Bossier District Court. Thomas was charged in the case of Danielle Cox.
For those not familiar with the case, Danielle was diabetic and had severe mood swings. She had threatened suicide, and a friend posted her cell phone number on Facebook asking friends to text Danielle and encourage her. Thomas saw the post and sent over 100 text messages urging Danielle to kill herself. He used a program that allowed each message to show that it came from a different person.
Thomas offered a (short) apology to Danielle's family in open court as a condition of the plea. A family member said that they were satisfied with the plea and that the DA's office had stayed in touch with them throughout the process. The family is not happy that Judge Nerren agreed to consider an Article 894 at a later date. Article 894 allows the conviction to go off the record.
Thomas was originally charged with Cyber Bullying, which was later amended to a charge of Criminal Assistance to Suicide.
This is the entry from the Bossier Parish Clerk of Court's office on the court appearance yesterday:
Defendant Name: THOMAS, JASON PATRICK
Jason Patrick Thomas present in open Court with Elton Richey withdrew former plea of not guilty and entered a plea of guilty to the amended charge of MISDEMEANOR CYBER BULLYING (14:40.7). Defendant is sentenced by the Court to pay a fine of $500 and cost pro-rated over the first 6 months of probation or serve 60 days in the parish jail. Additional 6 months parish jail sentence is imposed and suspended. Defendant is placed on 1 year supervised probation with all the standard conditions of probation under Article 895 to apply and the following special conditions: pay a $75 monthly supervision fee; enroll in and remain in counseling on a monthly basis as recommended by Dr. Vigen; agree to release counseling sessions to the Court for review; 24 hours a month of community service and continue until further ordered by the Court; continue to be enrolled in school full time or be employed full time. Case is set for review on June 10, 2014 with proof of community service and written reports from counselor to be provided to the Court at that time. Defense counsel requested the Court consider this sentence pursuant to Article 894. State opposed. Court advised the sentence being pursuant to Article 894 shall be considered at a later date. Victims are present and notified of the review date set in open Court. Matt Altimus is present on behalf of the State. (Nerren)
This is what happens when you don't monitor you kids Computer .Use.
ReplyDeleteI heard about one of the others cases on how to the handle them, they were going to go through the State Department of Justice. I think our people should do the same thing , and this would help to insure swift and accurate judgments.
ReplyDeleteI think it was an excellent decision. He has to earn the art. 894. It won't be given to him. A lesson to all parents to watch what's going on with kids and computers. Hell a lot of parents need to watch what they put on the computer as well.
ReplyDeleteI think this judgment could only happen in Bossier Parish.
ReplyDeleteI think we all want to blame parental monitoring, but in this case he has parents are loving, involved, fairly strict, and do their best. All anyone can do, they have, with a pretty tough set of circumstances. Nor -- and it stuns me to be defending someone accused of bullying -- is Jason a bad person. He made a very bad choice, deserves to atone, and perhaps will make something good of this, perhaps in a way that honors Danielle.
ReplyDeleteSocial media gives sick people a chance to prey on the innocent. I have had some sick person stalking me on the internet for years. They are hard to catch and when they are caught they are given a slap on the hand. I will pray for this girls parents, and family.
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