COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — An Ohio lawmaker says his proposal to require prison time for many felony crimes against the disabled or elderly was inspired by a fake ice bucket challenge that led to charges against five teenagers.
The boys were charged with dumping a bucket of urine, water and tobacco spit on an autistic 15-year-old boy who thought he was participating in a challenge for charity.
Cleveland Democratic Rep. Bill Patmon tells The Northeast Ohio Media Group (http://bit.ly/1wEqyr7 ) the arrest of those Bay Village students prompted the legislation he introduced Tuesday. It would require at least two years in prison or juvenile custody for certain felonies against the elderly or the disabled.
The bill’s chances of passing the busy, Republican-dominated Legislature in the remaining weeks of the current session are unclear.
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I hope the bill was well written. This seems like a concept - adding a new criminal statute to the books reflective of the current culture - that many lawmakers should be able to say, “OK, that’s a pretty good fucking law so that we don’t have to retrofit broader charges over behavior we would all regard as criminal.”
Should be able.
We’ll see.