Who would have ever thought that logging on to Facebook would prove to be anything other than a simple way to pass the time? According to CNN, A Facebook update became an alibi that lead to one teen's release from Riker's prison in New York. Rodney Bradford turned himself in to authorities after hearing that he was wanted in connection to a robbery at gunpoint in Brooklyn. He thought that by turning himself in it would all get cleared up quickly, but instead the opposite happened. He was put into a line up and was identified as the perpetrator. From there he was charged with robbery in the first degree and sent to Riker's Island, where the New York City Jail is located.
Bradford's father later noticed that his son had posted on Facebook at the same time he was alleged to have robbed the two men and brought this information to the attention of his son's attorney. Later, after some help from Facebook the defense team was able to prove that Rodney was at his father's home in Harlem when he made the status update and thus, cleared the young man of all charges. And now that he is free, Mr. Bradford plans to sue the city.
Well, at first I thought that this was a great story, kind of like a TV show only real. Then I got to reading a bit closer. The fact that Rodney Bradford is awaiting indictment from a robbery in 2008, Kind of made me wonder just exactly why the family is suing the city. Their reason was quoted as being that the city had "no reason" to arrest the young man, and that the 12 to 13 days he was in jail was enough trauma to cause the family to seek "money damages".
I also found it interesting that Facebook is so quick to infer that their site would be joining the ranks of "phone records and video cameras as means to establish an alibi", when it would be so easy to misuse this knowledge. I have kids at home that taught me how to Facebook and I know that if I decided to become a career criminal (something I admit to having fantasized about as one of my "running away" day dreams) I am sure that I could get one of them to log in for me... actually they probably already do know my log in information. I think I should go change that now. This could be used against me too!
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I don't trust the interent at all. Too many false advertisements and perverts. It is a dangerous play ground for an unsupervised child. The story is a little confusing of even why the boy turned himself in, that doesn't make any sense.
ReplyDeleteThat is funny, to think a criminal has the right to sue a city. But that kind of stuff happens all the time, I honestly feelt hat the criminals of today have way too much freedom. I love the fact that the horrible Facebook that everyone finds fault in often is the connecting joint in all the down fall of the criminal. Cool story!!
ReplyDeletei thought this was a great article. they bring up the issue of "right to privacy," but i don't feel that this new technology would have any specific effects on our personal privacy.
ReplyDeleteYeah this situation may be the only one where something works out like this. I don't ever see in the near future Facebook becoming a promising alibi. Way too easy for it be misused.
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