Judge orders kids to post apology on YouTube
- added June 10, 2008
- 5 responses
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- smorrisey
- added this
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A judge is using YouTube to punish two boys who used the video-sharing website for a prank that ended with battery and criminal mischief charges against them.
The prank, known as "fire in the hole," has become common in the past year. It happened July 25 to fast-food worker Jessica Ceponis at the drive-through of the Taco Bell in Merritt Island, about 50 miles east of Orlando.
Ceponis handed a carload of teenagers their soft drinks. When she returned to the drive-through window to give them their change, they yelled, "Fire in the hole!" hurled a 32-ounce cup of soda at Ceponis and sped off.
The teens posted a video of the incident on YouTube.com, alongside a number of other videos showing similar pranks. Today, the teens are scheduled to post another video on YouTube: an apology that shows them facedown and handcuffed on the hood of a car.
In a statement, YouTube said it doesn't allow the uploading of videos that show someone getting "hurt, attacked or humiliated" and removes those flagged by users.
Ceponis, 23, said she thought the incident was a personal attack but learned from customers that a video was posted on YouTube. She used the YouTube video to track the boys' MySpace accounts. "They were bragging about what they had done and how funny it was," Ceponis said.
Without revealing her identity, she befriended them online. After she confirmed that they were behind the attack, Ceponis used the phone book to track down one boy's mother who provided the names of the others involved, she said.
The 16-year-old driver who threw the drink and a 15-year-old who was filming were charged with two counts each of battery and one count of criminal mischief.
The teens wrote, filmed and edited the apology video. They also were sentenced to 100 hours each of community service. In addition, they each have to pay a $30 cleaning fee to the restaurant and write letters of apology. The charges will be dropped when the terms of the sentences are met.
The prank, known as "fire in the hole," has become common in the past year. It happened July 25 to fast-food worker Jessica Ceponis at the drive-through of the Taco Bell in Merritt Island, about 50 miles east of Orlando.
Ceponis handed a carload of teenagers their soft drinks. When she returned to the drive-through window to give them their change, they yelled, "Fire in the hole!" hurled a 32-ounce cup of soda at Ceponis and sped off.
The teens posted a video of the incident on YouTube.com, alongside a number of other videos showing similar pranks. Today, the teens are scheduled to post another video on YouTube: an apology that shows them facedown and handcuffed on the hood of a car.
In a statement, YouTube said it doesn't allow the uploading of videos that show someone getting "hurt, attacked or humiliated" and removes those flagged by users.
Ceponis, 23, said she thought the incident was a personal attack but learned from customers that a video was posted on YouTube. She used the YouTube video to track the boys' MySpace accounts. "They were bragging about what they had done and how funny it was," Ceponis said.
Without revealing her identity, she befriended them online. After she confirmed that they were behind the attack, Ceponis used the phone book to track down one boy's mother who provided the names of the others involved, she said.
The 16-year-old driver who threw the drink and a 15-year-old who was filming were charged with two counts each of battery and one count of criminal mischief.
The teens wrote, filmed and edited the apology video. They also were sentenced to 100 hours each of community service. In addition, they each have to pay a $30 cleaning fee to the restaurant and write letters of apology. The charges will be dropped when the terms of the sentences are met.
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I am always surprised at the lack of parental involvement these days. My generation was the first to even have access to the internet and we were all very strictly monitored, things like this were not yet happening. i think that the parents in these cyber bullying incidents, should also be reprimanded.
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Completely agree with the punishment on this one. People have been doing this type of thing for generations just now they are finding noteriety by posting it on social sites like My Space and You Tube. I also agree with the previous comment regarding punishing the parents as well. Granted not to the same level as the children who actually perpetrated the crime, but something to remind them that they are responsible for their child. I don't think mom and dad will take it as lightly when they are serving those 100 hours of community service with you.
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THATS AWESOME,,..... thats the message that you have to send out... step upto what you did and show responsibility...
i think a majority of the current US generation needs be spanked... (figuretavely)... didnt spell that right... but w.e -
If only the heads of YouTube would have the guts to go on their own website and post an apology for all the sick crap they've allowed online. That would be justice.
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They are now using it as a form of punishment? The weakness has spread from the American parents to the American judiciary system. Nice.
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- cerealforeal
- 2 months ago
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