LINK

"Sorry officer, I saw some people smoking this stuff on the TV, I had no idea!"

"don't worry mate, it's an honest mistake, we won't be charging you"


Bullcrap!

She should be charged just like anyone else.

With what? Stupidity still isn't a crime, unfortunately.

The most horrible part of this story is that the lady obviously has kids, I distinctly remember a line in our Constitution saying stupid people shall not breed. Its probally in the Ten Commandments as well.

I think it was only in a Suicidal Tendencies song. ;)

With what? Stupidity still isn't a crime, unfortunately. </font>[/QUOTE]And it's still painless, too...

Interesting how such stupidity can become a news article. :rolleyes:

With what? Stupidity still isn't a crime, unfortunately. </font>[/QUOTE]no it's not, but as far as I know, calling emergency services without a need is.

Or can people call 911 whenever they want over there?

With what? Stupidity still isn't a crime, unfortunately. </font>[/QUOTE]no it's not, but as far as I know, calling emergency services without a need is.

Or can people call 911 whenever they want over there? </font>[/QUOTE]I imagine it's like yelling "Fire!" in the movie theater when there isn't one.

That being said, good luck trying to prosecute an offense like that without intent. A mistake is a mistake.

And God help that woman's child.

But don't they always say ignorance of the law isn't an excuse? I mean, if you crossed a border with drugs claiming you thought them legal in the country you'd still be held accountable.

That said, in this case they simply let her off, and she does have an excuse...however odd it is. Who would ever think that 911 has suddenly started offering these services, lol. I also recall hearing about one woman who called the same number for a recipe!

Thats defenently right SpiritWarrior, and there are a lot of laws out there, say your a kid driving after a curfew you didn't know about, and you get pulled over. I'm sure the officer would prolly just let u off with a warning if he was nice enough, but they wouldn't take ignorance as an excuse.

Ignorance of the law is no excuse, but specific criminal laws have what is know as mens rea requirements, literally a 'guilty mind' i.e. some kind of mental element to the offence, which can range from direct intent through to strict liability, where merely doing the act is enough.

Thus, with the drugs example, if the offence was to smuggle drugs with the intent to do so you would have to prove this intention to be guilty. But intentionally smuggling drugs in ignorance of the law would still be an offence.

With the 911 things its probably strict liability, therefore ringing 911 without good cause would be enough to be guilty, but if it were ringing 911 with the intention to waste their time she wouldn't be guilty, as she didn't want to waste their time, she genuinely thought that was a service they provided.

So, it depends on the wording of the actual law in question.