this kinda like AZ sheriff enforcing fed law because feds won't. SICEM

Because everybody on this forum were such angels when they were 17.

What book does the world want to throw at a 17 year old for killing a fancy bird? Should he be thrown in prison day for day and be a felon?

You're right, I'm sure the bird was asking for it. What does it even matter, right? He just made a mistake while on his way to choir practice after volunteering at the homeless shelter...

I'm not disagreeing with the crime

I'm more intrigued on what people think should be a fair punishment

My guess is the reason it was handled this way is that a 17 year old is a juvenile in the federal system but an adult in the State of Texas. Under federal law it would be considered juvenile delinquency but under state law he goes to big boy jail for the state charge. Realistically, he will probably get more from the state charge than he ever would for the federal charge.

I never killed a bald eagle when I was 17.

Nor did I ever poach anything.


Other kids did and got caught and they were punished severely.


The old saying, do the crime, do the time.


At 17 your well past the age of accountability. If the kid was 12 it might be different but at 17 you know what you should and shouldn't do

A Fancy Bird really
I am not sure what country you're from but that fancy bird is a Bald Eagle and it is our National Emblem.

The bald eagle was chosen June 20, 1782 as the emblem of the United States of America, because of its long life, great strength and majestic looks.

The Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act
A violation of the Act can result in a fine of $100,000 ($200,000 for organizations), imprisonment for one year, or both, for a first offense. Penalties increase substantially for additional offenses, and a second violation of this Act is a felony.

How ignorant can you be to shoot a bald eagle? We have a bunch of them up around our camp in east Texas. They are very distinctive. You can tell the difference between them and the other large birds of prey there.

bright side at least it wasn't a whooping crane

Article said the bird frequented the area. If kid had lived there a while, then he had seen the bird. It wasn't a reaction by the kid. He knew what he was doing.

Now we're learning it was a female eagle and an eaglet has been recovered from the nest.

The parents and kid should be held financially responsible for it's care.

Oughta kill the punk!

That's going a tad far

I mean let's be honest bald eagles are kinda a dirty bird

The future of America killing it's symbol of freedom and walking home free doesn't seem like too good of an omen for The Land of the Free.

Id give him 2080 community service hours and three years to get it done.

Are you two related

ANYBODY with average intelligence knows what an Eagle looks like. It wasn't like a 17yr old "kid" didn't know. Even if it was an "honest mistake", he broke the law big time and has suffer some consequence.

Lmao no. I was being sarcastic.

Maybe the boy self-identifies as an eagle and killed a rival?

A 17 year old would fall under the federal Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act and would be a huge waste of time and money to prosecute him with zero chance of any appreciable punishment. State court was the smart choice which is why it was made.

This would be funnier if it wasn't out of the realm of possibility.

Guess since bald eagles are going extinct like the whooping cranes the guy won't get federal charges or his rights taken away? lmao

[quote=BOBO the Clown]Id give him 2080 community service hours and three years to get it done. [/quote




THIS at least