Travis Biehn

I received an e-mail from Travis Biehn today. For those of you may have forgotten Travis is a Canadian born teen who was arrested and sentenced for plotting to blow up his high school and possessing the materials to do so.

He asked me to post a link to his 'winning' appeal. Apparently his verdict was overturned. The appeal can be seen here.

He also requested that I comment on it because in his words I've written some prior inaccurate/media based commentary on the case. Well only because you asked so nicely.

You're verdict was appealed. Congratulations.

However I still agree with what Judge Biehn had to say at the time of the original verdict…

Judge Kenneth Biehn, who's no relation, said the 17-year-old is no terrorist but an "arrogant, guarded, defensive, immature, attention-seeking" youth who needs to be evaluated after completing the juvenile program to see if he can go back to his family at the end of August.

"This case is all about a kid who's never been held accountable," the judge told a sentencing hearing attended by about 30 supporters who see Biehn as the unwitting victim of his nationality in a tough anti-terror climate.

"I hope your parents have learned something from this. If they set limits on his behaviour, then perhaps we wouldn't be here."

Welcome to America. Enjoy your freedoms.

Bomb suspect sentenced to wilderness camp:
Travis Biehn, the Canadian-born Pennsylvania kid who was accused of threatening to blow up his school and having the materials to do it was sentenced...

The judge sentenced Travis to the TresslerCare Wilderness Program in Cumberland County to co-exist cooperatively in the forest with a small group of seven to 10 other juveniles. If he successfully completes his time there, he will return to Bucks County for family counseling and 100 hours of community service with Habitat for Humanity. He was also instructed to write letters of apology to the school and fellow students. The family was ordered to attend a presentation on burns and burn victims at Crozer-Chester Medical Center. His parents are required to repay the school district more than $8,000 to reimburse it for the police and security needed at the school in the days following the bomb threat.

I wouldn't say he got off lightly but it could have been a lot worse. Of course the defense attorney has to appeal...

Defense attorney William Goldman Jr. has filed a plea for the judge to reconsider his ruling. The judge said he believes the boy is not violent based on psychological reports and interviews with relatives, friends, school officials and others.

He should consider himself lucky that his client didn't have to serve any real jail time.

U.S. court sends Canadian teen to juvenile program for bomb threat at school:
In case you forgot Travis Biehn is the kid who was born in Canada who was found guilty of plotting to blow up his Bucks County PA high school. He has been ordered by Judge Kenneth Biehn, no relation, to enter a monthlong juvenile program while remaining in custody. Check out these quotes by Judge Biehn...

Judge Kenneth Biehn, who's no relation, said the 17-year-old is no terrorist but an "arrogant, guarded, defensive, immature, attention-seeking" youth who needs to be evaluated after completing the juvenile program to see if he can go back to his family at the end of August.

"This case is all about a kid who's never been held accountable," the judge told a sentencing hearing attended by about 30 supporters who see Biehn as the unwitting victim of his nationality in a tough anti-terror climate.

"I hope your parents have learned something from this. If they set limits on his behaviour, then perhaps we wouldn't be here."

The judge was angry that neither Biehn or his parents would testify at the sentencing hearing.

"All I've had from the parents is denial and blaming others," said the judge.

Bad parenting. Who would have guessed?

Teen's family to appeal bomb verdict:
The family of Travis Biehn, the Canadian born teen who was convicted of trying to blow up his Pennsylvania high school, says that they will file an appeal of Travis' conviction. Mrs. Biehn had some wacky things to say. It sounds like she has the NMK Syndrome. (Not my kid)...

"They had no evidence," said Biehn, who noted the prosecution's own bomb expert had testified that her son's room contained fireworks, but not materials needed to make actual bombs.

You know, except for the 10 pounds of potassium nitrate, magnesium, and fuses there were no bomb making materials.

She said supporters left Monday's verdict in Doylestown, Penn., "trying to figure out how anybody could get a conviction from what was presented at that trial."

It may have had something to do with the 10 pounds of potassium nitrate, magnesium, and fuses. Not to mention the prior history of selling homemade napalm.

The Biehn case attracted national publicity in the U.S. because Biehn wore an "I am Canadian" T-shirt to an early court appearance, and had made comments that were interpreted as being anti-American.

Ok this quote was actually from the Canadian news site. Did this actually make national headlines in the U.S.? I don't watch TV news so I don't know but the only places I saw this story were local Pennsylvania news websites. I would hardly call that national. Oh well. Back to the matter at hand..

She also said the current climate in the U.S. is not conducive to true free speech.

"They've gone above and beyond, so that people's rights are skewed. It's supposed to be liberty [and] freedom – you're supposed to have a right to your own opinion," she said.

"It's pretty bad if you cannot vocalize your opinion and all of a sudden you're anti-American."

How in the hell did this become a matter of free speech? He wasn't arrested for making his opinion known. He was arrested for making a bomb threat against his school and being in possession of explosives. Free speech has nothing to do with this. He has a right to his opinion. He just doesn't have the right to blow up his school. Which is why he's in jail. Deal with it.

As always it was your pleasure.

Canadian teen "unhappy" living in U.S. found guilty in bomb case:
This is a follow up to the case of Travis Biehn, the Canadian born teen accused of threatening to blow up his Pennsylvania high school. He was convicted Monday of having bomb-making materials and threatening to blow up his high school. Since he is a juvenile he faces up to four years in detention. His sentence should be determined in less than three weeks.

What I find funny is that I got a fair amount of comments proclaiming Travis' innocence. Yet previously he's been in trouble for selling homemade napalm, shooting paintball pellets at passing cars, and he's been in possession of magnesium. If I remember correctly it's not exactly easy to extinguish magnesium when it's burning. Not to mention the fact that the 22 pounds of potassium nitrate that police found was in his bedroom. Why do you need 22 lbs. of fertilizer in your room?

Sorry people. This kid was guilty. And in less than 20 days we'll find out what his fate will be.

As always it was your pleasure.

Teen Allegedly Threatens to Bomb School:
DA: Teen bomb suspect hates U.S.:
Friends say he is just a jokester.:
Long story short, Travis W. Biehn is is an 11th-grader at Central Bucks East High School in Pennsylvania. He made a bomb threat against his school and even called the teachers attention to it. WHat did police find when they searched his house?

When investigators searched the teen's home Wednesday, they found eight to 10 pounds of potassium nitrate, fuses, containers and other materials from which a bomb could be constructed.

What's his motive you may ask? It's an original one at least. Biehn is a naturalized US citizen but him and his family are originally from Canada...

Bucks County District Attorney Diane Gibbons said Biehn and his family are Canadian citizens who moved to the United States for Biehn's father's job at a pharmaceutical company. His parents bought their house in Buckingham in 1997. Gibbons said Biehn wore a shirt in court boasting of his Canadian heritage.

"He apparently has made it clear that he does not like America and that he would prefer to be in Canada," she said.

Of course his classmates are saying it was "just a joke"...

Some Central Bucks East students were supportive of Biehn yesterday, describing him as an intelligent jokester.

"Free Travis," said Alex Maio, a junior. Biehn is "not harmful," he said. "He's not the kind."

"I had a history class with him, and he knew more than anybody else in there," said junior Chase Barton. "He's fun to be around."

Yeah, that's a real funny joke there Slapnuts.

Again I have to ask where were the parents?

It's a shame he hates America so much. It looks like he's going to be spending a lot of time here.

As always it was your pleasure.