Off topic legal issue.

[cccasooner2]

This board has an abundance (or is it plethora?) of legal types. Does the following story sound like three pled not guilty and two pled guilty with an explanation?

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20101208/...mpus_drug_ring

Five Columbia University students were charged Tuesday with selling LSD-spiked candy and other drugs at three fraternity houses and other residences on the Ivy League campus, with two allegedly claiming they needed the drug money to cover tuition.

[sooner_born_1960]

I don't see where anyone plead anything yet.

[btb916]

The word you're looking for is pled.

[sperry]

All of them plead not guilty. It sounds like a couple of them said some very stupid things to the cops, if they planned on pleading not guilty.


Definitely a bummer for these kids to ruin their lives over this. I have the utmost reproach for people selling drugs to young kids, but students at Columbia who are buying drugs know what they're doing. So these idiots will end up being convicted felons, rather than young people with an Ivy league degree.

[cccasooner2]

I don't see where anyone plead anything yet.

You didn't read far enough.

The students — all 20-year-olds except Perez, who's 22 — were hauled into a Manhattan courtroom later in the day, shackled together and wearing Columbia and fraternity sweat shirts. They pleaded not guilty to multiple drug dealing charges alleging they were supplied by violent traffickers.

The five were to remain in custody until they could make bail ranging from $20,000 to $50,000 in cash.

[sooner_born_1960]

Nah, I just read what you posted.

[DarrellZero]

I have no sympathy for any of these idiots. The fact that they are Ivy League students shows that they were smart enough to understand the implications of their actions. Selling dangerous drugs is serious.

Incidentally, this thread should be moved to the South Oval.

[soonerboomer93]

hot chicks in pleated skirts is the only pleating I care about

[GottaHavePride]

Moved! Off-topic is what the South Oval is for.

[Penguin]

Plead not guilty and get a good lawyer to work out a plea deal. That's how our legal system works.

[olevetonahill]

Plead not guilty and get a good lawyer to work out a plea deal. That's how our legal system works.

And keep yer Pie hole shut till after ya get that Lawyer and only talk to HIM /HER

Cause once those cuffs go on ya aint gonna help yerself by gettin diarrhea of the mouth.

[TUSooner]

The word you're looking for is pled.

Actually, the preferred form is "pleaded"; but pled is used a lot by lawyers and judges, even though there's really no gramatical basis for it. See the quote below from Bryan Garner, law language guru, nabob, and maven.

As for the drug dealers: Nobody pleaded guilty, but two of them failed to exercise their right to remain silent. [NOTE TO ALL: IF YOU GET ARRESTED, STFU AND DEMAND A LAWYER !!!!!!!] I would expect all to plead guilty, especially the two who made the ill-advised incriminatory statements.

Garner's Usage Tip of the Day

pleaded; *pled; *plead (2).

Today: *"pled" and *"plead" Now.

*"Pled," dating from the 16th century, is nearly obsolete in British English except as a dialectal word. Nor is it considered quite standard in American English, although it is a common variant in legal usage -- e.g.: "For his part, Igusa has pled [read 'pleaded'] not guilty and could not be reached for comment." "A Nest of Software Spies?" BusinessWeek, 19 May 1997, at 100. It is less common outside legal writing, but it still shows up -- e.g.: "'I didn't mean anything -- hey, are you okay? Don't cry, Bella,' he pled [read 'pleaded']." Stephanie Meyer, Eclipse 479 (2007).

Still, "pleaded" is the predominant form in both American and British English and always the best choice -- e.g.: "On Friday, Rice, now 70, of Glenview, pleaded guilty to the bank robbery." Matt O'Connor, "Man, 70, Admits Robbing Bank," Chicago Trib., 17 May 1997, at 5.

The spelling *"plead" as a past tense (for *"pled") appeared in the 18th century, apparently on the analogy of "read/read." If one needed a dialectal past tense, though, *"pled" is surely the better choice because it can't be mistaken as a present-tense verb -- but better yet (of course) is "pleaded." E.g.: "Kaczynski, who was not present at Friday's hearing, has plead [read 'pleaded'] not guilty to a 10-count indictment alleging that he was responsible for four bombings, including two fatal blasts in Sacramento." "Mental Defense Faces Challenge," Times Union (Albany), 1 Nov. 1997, at A2.

Language-Change Index -- (1) *"pled" as a past tense for "pleaded": Stage 3; (2) *"plead" as a past tense for "pleaded": Stage 3.

*Invariably inferior forms.

[The]

You don't make money selling LSD....

[olevetonahill]

Actually, the preferred form in "pleaded"; but pled is used a lot by lawywrsa dn judges, even though there's really no gramatical basis for it. See the quote below from Bryan Garner, law language guru, nabob, and maven.

Nobody had pleaded guilty, but two of them failed to exercise their right to remain silent. [NOTE TO ALL: IF YOU GET ARRESTED, STFU AND DEMAND A LAWYER !!!!!!!] I would expect all to plead guilty, especially the two who made the ill-advised incriminatory statements.

I dont think This can be said enough. Im speakin as a Former Cop, and a Former Prisoner

[olevetonahill]

You don't make money selling LSD....

Experience talkin ?

[The]

Experience talkin ?

$5 a hit ain't payin for nothin....

[olevetonahill]

$5 a hit ain't payin for nothin....

Dayum thats what it ran back in the 70s guess they aint no inflation in the dope Biz. cept Pot has gone way the hell up .

[The]

Dayum thats what it ran back in the 70s guess they aint no inflation in the dope Biz. cept Pot has gone way the hell up .

Those are mid-90's prices, but I would assume there isn't a drastic increase. Pot prices shot up because boutique pot came into vogue over Messican ragweed.

The only dealers that make money are coke and heroin dealers, plus large scale pot brokers. Everyone else is just selling to cover their own stash.

[Mississippi Sooner]

Those are mid-90's prices, but I would assume there isn't a drastic increase. Pot prices shot up because boutique pot came into vogue over Messican ragweed.

The only dealers that make money are coke and heroin dealers, plus large scale pot brokers. Everyone else is just selling to cover their own stash.

Yeah, the Messican ragweed is dang near the same price it was 25 years ago.

At least, that's what I hear.

[olevetonahill]

Those are mid-90's prices, but I would assume there isn't a drastic increase. Pot prices shot up because boutique pot came into vogue over Messican ragweed.

The only dealers that make money are coke and heroin dealers, plus large scale pot brokers. Everyone else is just selling to cover their own stash.

Heh, Thats all I ever did.