Opinion ID: 2341817
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: The Bomb Threat Case

Text: On February 8, 2000, the Montgomery County Journal published an article reporting the dismissal of charges against two Montgomery County teenagers who had been accused of calling bomb threats to Wheaton High School. At the juveniles' trial, the State presented evidence of two telephone calls that purportedly were the bomb threats. One of the calls, the article stated, could not be linked to either juvenile, and the other had been made three days prior to the alleged bomb threat. The article quoted the presiding judge, who in dismissing the charges, said, I have no idea who did this and I have no evidence. The Journal account relayed Gansler's comments that his office will continue to prosecute youths suspected of making bomb threats, even if the case is not strong enough to warrant a conviction. Gansler was quoted as saying, We try hard cases.... Juveniles who phone in bomb threats will be prosecuted. It's more important to prosecute someone and have them acquited[sic] than let them commit crimes with impunity. [10]