Criminal Charges in Bullying Suicide of Jamey Rodemeyer?
Police in upstate New York have opened up a criminal investigation into the suicide of 14-year-old Jamey Rodemeyer, who killed himself following relentless bullying about being gay.
ABC News reports that the Amherst Police Department's Special Victims Unit said it is looking into whether it can charge his tormenters with harassment, cyber-harassment or hate crimes.
"The special victims unit is looking into the circumstances prior to his death," Captain Michael Camilleri said. "We are not sure if there is anything criminal or not."
Camilleri said New York does not have anti-bullying laws, so police will have to determine if aggravated harassment charges fit this case.
Police have identified three students at Jamey's former school who might have been involved in the bullying -- both at school and online.
"We've heard that there were some specific students, an identifiable group of students, that had specifically targeted Jamey, or had been picking on him for a period of time," Police Chief John C. Askey told the Buffalo News.
Jamey killed himself outside of his Buffalo home on Sunday. Police are not saying exactly how he did it. Jamey has been writing online for some time about his confusion over his sexuality, leading to even more bullying.
In the hours before he killed himself he posted something of a farewell, quoting a lyric from his hero Lady Gaga:
Don't forget me when I come crying to heaven's door.
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Dear J-Jammer, Im as outraged out this young mans sucicide as anyone. Those children who taunted him are the ones that have ruined lives now. So in one swoop a young boy who should have gotten help from a school system that has been trained to help with these issues failed him. Then his own buddies, unknowingly, contributed. These kids had no idea he would do such a thing and they are kids, they cant think past the next weekend! There is not premeditation here, they are just sideline victims. If I knew a child was considering homosexuality I would let them work it out on their own. If they asked me I would ask them if they want support to overcome it or affirmation that they arent bad. I would give them both. I have worked side by side with homosexuals in California, can you not, and live there? And I always treated them with respect. A nurse I worked with for sevral years was a lebian and only once did the subject come up and I told that person I believe the Bible and it was never mentioned again. But I made every effort to treat her with respect and provide the same care for her patients as mine. She opted for me to relieve her when she couldnt work because as she said, and her name was NANCY by the way from Auburn, I TRUST YOU MORE THAN ANY OF THE OTHERS! You know why she trusted me more...because I treated her no different. I have never any homosexual man or woman different than anyone else. THEY CANNOT SAY THE SAME FOR ME IN CALIFORNIA....They attacked me. Looking back I feel honored because they wouldnt have done so if I had stayed silent about their underground school indoctrination of children via homosexual teachers. Im glad I spoke out. Even if it cost me everything in my life. Id do it again. So before you make irroneous allegations of hatefullness consider your own hate and what you do with it. Then consider children and what role models are they given by the homosexual community. Well lets see 1) If they piss you off get all your friends to kick their butts 2) If they reject your sexual passess then they are the sick ones and need counseling. 3) They must accept me or I will FORCE them to accept me. That only gets you less acceptance. 4) I will destroy their reputations by lying and causing gossip if they speak out against homosexuality. I could go on but Im tired. I hope you understand something. EVERYONE HAS A CHOICE, THATS MY MESSAGE. IF YOU CHOOSE TO SERVE SEXUAL SIN THATS YOUR CHOICE BUT I THINK YOUVE CHOOSEN WRONGLY! THATS MY CHOICE.
They're no longer kids. They lost that title the moment they crossed the line. And the line was not crossed by saying "We're glad you're dead"--it happened way before that. Excusing them as if it happens everyday is saying that what they did was bullying. Wrong. What they did was WORSE than bullying. They knew what they were doing or they wouldn't have been doing it at all. It's not like saying OMG you're stupid to someone. They went out of their way to go past him to say horrible things. Not only that, but on online. He didn't do anything. Those vile, soulless pieces of skin trash chose to say every single name with the intent of causing harm. As much harm as the little demons could. Death is death, who the person was doesn't much matter when the means of how he got there is as dirty as the people that put him there. Words are powerful. If they weren't, you'd have written NOTHING.
People demand freedom of speech to make up for the freedom of thought which they avoid. - Soren Aabye Kierkegaard (1813-1855)
No one is saying the bullies' actions were ok. You know how many teenagers commit suicide because their boyfriend or girlfriend broke up with them? If you break up with a girl and she commits suicide are you responsible? After all, you caused her to be mentally tormented, did you not? A lot of teens are unstable, weak, and prone to self destruction. The only person in control of that teen's suicide is himself. If you are on the side of a high bridge and twenty people are screaming at you to jump, do you jump? If you do, who's responsible? YOU ARE!!!
Liberalism is a mental disease.
lol. You do not know why people commit suicide. You read articles of asinine people that belittle suicide as weak. Suicide isn't weak. It's a commitment to a final act. People do not commit suicide over "little" things as you try to make it appear. People commit suicide because they have committed a wrong they cannot right without removing themselves from the picture. As in they believe that if they leave it is better for everyone, including their loved ones. The simplicity you label suicide is a good reason why you mock a suicide of a mentally abused teen. And yes, you do mock it because you certainly are not taking it remotely seriously. You side with people shouting jump? How quaint.
People demand freedom of speech to make up for the freedom of thought which they avoid. - Soren Aabye Kierkegaard (1813-1855)
You know what, I've about had it with your "I know it all" attitude. You fucking jack-ass, one of my best friend's girlfriend killed herself right after he broke up with her. She got out a knife and threatened while he was still there, so he took it away from her. The dumbass left her alone and she got out a gun and shot herself through the side of her chest and it went all the way through. She was a beautiful young girl (a junior in high school) and she was temporarily in pain that she could not handle. Don't tell me that I'm not taking it seriously or that suicide has to be caused by a huge wrong they cannot correct. Mature people, adults, do not generally commit suicide over minor things like relationship break-ups like teenagers do. Teens aren't mentally mature yet and don't think things through, including the ones that commit suicide because someone was making fun of them. They have not yet fully learned how to deal with pain and strife, and you cannot punish someone else for that or because another takes THEIR OWN life. You're a fucking idiot. Topic over.
Liberalism is a mental disease.
Why are you choosing to be mad over words? I am telling you you're not taking it seriously. I don't care about your life stories. You don't care about other people's life stories. You're not special. When you mock someone for killing themselves by saying "minor" you are NOT taking it seriously. It is over. Because you're crying over words.
People demand freedom of speech to make up for the freedom of thought which they avoid. - Soren Aabye Kierkegaard (1813-1855)
You really are a smart one, aren't you? I'm not mocking anyone or not taking it seriously. My point was that teens commit suicide over things that are not that major, but it seems major to them because they don't have a full perspective of life yet and they haven't matured. You really need to learn how to read, you dumbass. I am not crying over words, but it's difficult to talk to someone that constantly twists everything you say and it's really pissing me off.
Liberalism is a mental disease.
YOU DO NOT GET IT. For a TEEN that is major and therefore your opinion what is and isn't major DOES NOT MATTER. YOU ARE AN ADULT. A two year old thinks it's major that they get to eat a cookie when they ask for it. You are very wrong. It's not because of a relationship that anyone kills themselves. It's what that relationship meant and what it meant to lose it. It's not solely the relationship. You are a stuck up old person. You are crying over my words to you. You're all upset because I think you're a high and mighty old person who never felt depressed a day in his life. He who lived a perfect through his entire life. He who doesn't understand pain. OH list examples, cause that is going to make your point so valid. Your point is so flaccid, not even Viagra would help you. It's not hard to say you don't understand suicide. Because it's obvious you don't. As for twisting words, that's something you accept as okay, because "bullies" can do it and you'd back them by stating it's the victim's fault for accepting the words as true. Therefore it's your fault for taking my words the way you are. The only person you have to blame, is yourself.
People demand freedom of speech to make up for the freedom of thought which they avoid. - Soren Aabye Kierkegaard (1813-1855)
Lol, Viagra wouldn't help me? That's good because I don't need it. I totally get it. No matter how serious someone takes an event or issue, he is responsible for his own actions. Period. If he kills a bully he goes to prison. If he kills himself you want the bully to go to prison? No. He is responsible for what he did to himself.
Liberalism is a mental disease.
Then why do you blame Hitler for what happened in Germany?
People demand freedom of speech to make up for the freedom of thought which they avoid. - Soren Aabye Kierkegaard (1813-1855)