In re P.T.
Ohio Court of Appeals
995 N.E.2d 279 (2013)
- Written by Kelli Lanski, JD
Facts
On December 14, 2012, police in Wilmington, Ohio, received several reports about a social-media post written and published by P.T. (defendant), a 15-year-old student at Wilmington High School. A mass shooting had taken place at Sandy Hook Elementary in Connecticut that day, and P.T.’s post stated that murder was a good thing, even of children, and that he would have done the job himself if he had been able. Police received reports about the post from parents of children who attended school with P.T., among other community members. P.T. was charged with menacing in violation of Ohio law. In the days after P.T.’s post, several students stayed home from school, and a police officer was stationed at the school. At trial, Wilmington High School’s principal testified that he believed P.T.’s post to be a threat. The juvenile court found P.T. guilty, ruling that he was a delinquent child for the offense of menacing and placed him on probation. P.T. appealed, arguing that his conduct did not meet the elements of menacing because he did not actually threaten to harm a specific person or property.
Rule of Law
Issue
Holding and Reasoning (Powell, J.)
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