Illegal?

Russell, 25, and the other two men -- Naeem Perry, 24, of Berkeley and Ali Hayes, 27, of Oakland -- were booked on suspicion of rape, oral copulation, penetration by a foreign object and sexual battery.

Ah, yes. That horrible, deviant act of DUN DUN DUN! Oral copulation.

Now, if he's guilty of the others, he should definitely serve some jail time (rape is no joking matter). But <b>oral copulation</b>? Which one of those cops that arrested him hasn't gotten head? What about the judge that's going to sentence him? COME ON.

"You are being charged with breaking and entering, larceny and farting in public."

[BrianR]

In many places, oral copulation (to include kissing fer chrissakes) is still illegal.

It's wrong, but then again it's the same argument you've been using to legalise pot.
It reeks to me of the shotgun approach to prosecution.

But I think I need more of the story to render judgement here.

Brian

Oh, I know it's still illegal in a lot of places.

What gets me is that they're actually <b>charging</b> someone with it. And, most likely, someone that they don't even <b>need</b> to charge with it, 'cause they're gonna throw the book at him with everything else they've got on him. Oral fucking copulation.

I don't know how a prosecutor could actually CHARGE someone with that. Or a District Attorney. Whatever. EVERYONE has, or does, or will engage in oral copulation. Maybe not everyone, but I guarantee you, 99% of the population, including that District Attorney and the prosecutors. Absolutely fucking ridiculous.

[MaggieL]

"If there was no war on oral copulation, there would be no illegal blowjobs."

http://www.cellar.org/showthread.php...0401#post10401

That's the thing - there <b>is</b> no war on oral copulation.

This, I think, can safely be filed away under the "What the Fuck?" category...

[juju]

This is quite common, I believe. Prosecutors attempt to throw every applicable charge in the book at someone they suspect of a terrible crime. Even if it is ridiculous, perhaps it allows them to give him a longer sentence? Lawyers love loopholes like that.

[russotto]

Originally posted by juju2112
This is quite common, I believe. Prosecutors attempt to throw every applicable charge in the book at someone they suspect of a terrible crime.

Shotgun prosecution. Shoot enough charges at 'em and maybe one will hit. Or you'll be able to get them to plead to the lesser ones. Or you'll just exhaust their ability to defend themselves. Plus once you've convicted them of one charge, you can get 'em sentenced as if they committed the others (neat trick, eh? Blessed by the US Supreme Court)