BBC News - April 3rd, 2010 - BBC News - US girl sues for $1m over arrest for desk scribble

US girl sues for $1m over arrest for desk scribble

The Crime:

A 12-year-old US schoolgirl is suing the New York City authorities for $1m (£650,000) in damages after she was arrested for writing on her desk.
Alexa Gonzalez was led out of her school in handcuffs by police after she was caught scribbling a message to her friends with an erasable, green marker.

The Punishment:

Miss Gonzalez was suspended from school and tried in a family court, where she was given eight hours of community service and ordered to write an essay about lessons to be learned from the incident.

Personally, I think it is ridiculous to apply so much force to something that isn't even an appropriate use of police time, and to persue it to an extent of obtaining a prosecution is just bordering on madness.


Any thoughts?

The legal action, admittedly, may be asking a little much... agreed. But perhaps it is a necessary factor to make sure the state learns from the mistakes made?

That's an interesting point actually...

There's not really much that can be said.