Gulf Shores

Gulf Shores teen granted youthful offender status:
It's been over a year since we've heard anything out of Gulf Shores, Alabama and I am completely stunned by the news. Joe Meredith, who I still believe is 100% innocent, has basically pleaded guilty to plotting an attack against Gulf Shores High School.

Authorities have said Joseph Scott Meredith, who was 17 at the time he was charged with conspiracy to commit murder in March 2006, mapped out an attack that he planned with a fellow student in encoded notes and drawings.

More than a year after the teens' arrests, Baldwin County Circuit Court Judge James H. Reid granted youthful offender status for Meredith, meaning that his court records would be sealed.

State law allows any defendant age 21 or younger at the time of a crime to request youthful offender status, and with that to waive the right to a jury trial.

Because the hearing was closed to the public, prosecutors only revealed minimal details about the plea agreement.

Meredith's attorney, Ken Raines, declined comment as he left the courtroom with Meredith and his family.

Among the conditions of Meredith's plea is that he not return to the Baldwin County school system, according to Baldwin County District Attorney Judy Newcomb. Meredith, who currently lives with his mother in Bay Minette, also must not return to Gulf Shores or Orange Beach unless he is supervised by an adult family member, Newcomb said.

"As to the other terms and conditions, he has a right to privacy," the prosecutor said.

She declined to reveal any further details about Meredith's punishment.

"The result of this case safeguards the community and also gives Mr. Meredith a chance to turn his life around and engage in future positive activities," Newcomb said. "If we had gone to trial, we would've been able to prove our allegations ... that he had a conspiracy with someone else to cause harm at Gulf Shores High School."

I don't believe that last part. It sounds like to me that the prosecution felt like they weren't sure that they would get a conviction so they cut a deal. It also seems like the defense wasn't exactly sure they would get an acquittal so they worked out a deal that on the surface seems mutually beneficial to everyone. The prosecution gets to claim victory and Joe gets to live his life with no criminal record to speak of.

At least now hopefully Joe is finally free.

Technorati Tags: joe meredith, gulf shores,

Lawyers argue youth's intention:
Things are getting out of hand at Gulf Shores. Look at what kind of "evidence" they have against Joe Meredith...

Joseph Scott Meredith, 17, charged with conspiracy to commit murder, sketched characters in the image of himself and an unidentified 15-year-old student who is facing the same charge.

A document seized by police after word of the alleged plot spread through the school shows the two characters standing back to back shooting at aliens, which Gulf Shores Police Juvenile Investigator Billy Berry said represented students.

But Meredith's lawyer, Ken Raines, said the sketches contradict what the 15-year-old student has told authorities and other students.

"It doesn't match what the juvenile said one bit," Raines said outside of court. "It's just a drawing."

While police found no list of targeted students, Berry said he believed the threats were real. Both of the teens were arrested March 24.

Prosecutors have said that the 15-year-old confirmed that he and Meredith would have followed through with their plans, according to reports.

"Their goal was to kill more kids than died at Columbine," Berry testified during a preliminary hearing.

Above the two sketched characters, introduced as evidence during the court hearing, Meredith wrote, "passcode: 4-20-06," and "concept for the ultimate 'horror movie.'"

Through that document, Baldwin County District Attorney Judy Newcomb tried to show that Meredith had planned the attack for several months.

In the bottom right corner, Meredith wrote, "meet Sunday, October 9, 2005 for MISSION DISCUSSION."

The 15-year-old, whose name was withheld because of his age and who was referred to in court by the initials B.R.F. and R.F., told investigators that the words "octo killers" referred to imitations of Dylan Klebold and Eric Harris, who killed 12 fellow students and a teacher at Columbine.

Berry told Baldwin County District Court Judge Jody W. Bishop in the preliminary hearing that Meredith and the juvenile had even planned a similar attack a year earlier. According to Berry, the juvenile reported that Meredith had a "rough life" and disliked Gulf Shores High School because of the way other students treated him.

But Raines said that Meredith had made dozens of films and created a character called "Alien Octo" by 1997, before moving to Gulf Shores to live with his grandfather. Raines declined to say when Meredith moved to Gulf Shores or why he was staying with his grandfather.

So far I have yet to see anything to see anything that convinces me that Joe Meredith was planning a school shooting.

Berry said he believed that the teens actually had three plans for the attack.

The first was to pull the fire alarm and shoot students as they exited classrooms, Berry testified. In another plan, the teens would shoot students during a break between classes. The final plan involved Meredith and the younger teen walking through the school corridors in a "Nazi formation" and firing rounds into classrooms before shooting themselves in the library, according to Berry.

What the hell is a "nazi formation"?

Berry also testified that the Gulf Shores police chief's granddaughter told investigators that she had spoken with Meredith. According to Berry, the girl said that Meredith told her, "R.F. 'doesn't know how to keep his mouth shut and lie to the police.'"

Not exactly what I would call a credible witness. If Joe Meredith is the criminal mastermind that the prosecution alleges I doubt he would go shooting his mouth off to the police chief's granddaughter.

Before his arrest, Meredith's MySpace.com Web site contained references to Nazism, serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer and April 20, Berry said. Meredith apparently deleted those references after his arrest, the officer said.

I saw Joe Meredith's MySpace before he was released. I saw no references to Nazism or April 20th. And the only reference I saw to Jeffrey Dahmer was one of those stupid blog quizzes about "What serial killer are you?".

Throughout the more than 1½-hour-long hearing, Raines tried to point out that the only statements about any such plans came from the 15-year-old, who declined to testify Friday. Raines attempted to paint the younger teen as a liar who had made statements to other students that contradicted what he told investigators.

At one point, early in the investigation, the juvenile told police that the Columbine discussions were meant as a joke.

"It started as a joke, then it got envolved into something more big, then other stuff was said outside of class," a statement from the juvenile reads.

Raines asked Berry, "In fact, that is a mirror opposite of other statements he has given, correct?"

"Yes," Berry responded, later saying that he believed the juvenile had lied to police on certain occasions.

And what happened when the 15-year-old was called to testify?

The 15-year-old was called to testify, but instead, through his lawyer, Pascal Bruijn, invoked his Fifth Amendment right, which protects him from having to provide testimony. The juvenile had been brought to the courthouse, but did not appear during the hearing.

When asked why his client would not testify Friday, Bruijn said, "We'll testify when there's a jury in the box."

I've heard reports that the 15-year-old's psychological evaluation pegged him as a pathological liar. That would make sense.

And yet the court thought that there was reason enough to bring the matter to a grand jury.

If this was any more of a railroad it would be on a Monopoly board.

Security stepped up for Baldwin schools:
I honestly don't believe this...

One of the two Gulf Shores High students accused of planning a Columbine-style attack at their school has told authorities that the pair had intended to shoot fellow students today, Baldwin District Attorney Judy Newcomb said Wednesday.

Police arrested a 15-year-old teen, who has not been identified because of his age, and Joseph Scott Meredith, 17, in March and charged them with conspiracy to commit murder, a Class A felony that for an adult can carry a sentence of life in prison.

Lawyers for the Gulf Shores teens said in earlier interviews that some of the allegations were based on an amateur movie created by Meredith in which he portrayed a serial killer.

But Newcomb said the attack was a true threat, not a screen fantasy. She said the 15-year-old suspect has told investigators that he and Meredith intended to shoot classmates.

"The juvenile has acknowledged to us that this was a real plot," Newcomb said. "As anybody will say, until they commit the crime, they don't know they're going to commit the crime, but it was not just a movie. They actually had a plan to carry out a Columbine-type shooting."

Pascal Bruijn, the lawyer for the younger juvenile, said his client's trial -- originally scheduled for Wednesday -- had been continued indefinitely while he negotiated with prosecutors.

"My client has provided certain information concerning the involvement of Joe Meredith in this so-called plot," Bruijn said. "And we'll continue to cooperate as this case progresses."

He declined to say what information the youth had given authorities or to comment further on the case.

I'd be interested to see how they obtained this information from the juvenile suspect. I'm usually not one for conspiracies but this sounds like nothing more than strong-arm lawyering tactics in small town politics.

Also consider the timing. The prosecution hasn't presented anything useful in weeks and all of a sudden they have a confession. Sorry, but this still seems fishy to me.

Another school scare in Baldwin County:
Baldwin County Alabama, the same county that imprisoned Joe Meredith for basically making a horror movie, has had another Columbine "scare". This time because a kid stated that April 20th was his birthday when it wasn't. Was that kid sent to jail?

Baldwin County District Attorney Judy Newcomb said that her office had been in contact with Fairhope police and, as of Friday, there was no indication of wrongdoing.

"It was just a rumor that got blown out of proportion, but I would encourage people to continue to report similar situations because at another time it may not be," Newcomb said.

Then why are Joe Meredith and the unnamed minor still sitting in jail when their situation was also just a rumor that blew out of proportion? If I didn't know any better I'd say it sounded like a DA was trying to make a name for themselves at these boys' expense.

Free Joe.

Authorities: Fantasy turned into reality:
Another article about the alleged Gulf Shores HIgh plot in Alabama which makes the local D.A.'s office sound even more clueless...

"We believe, that in this particular case, the evidence indicates that fantasy moved into reality," Baldwin County District Attorney Judy Newcomb told about 300 parents and students gathered in the school's gym Thursday night. "I can't tell you whether, when the day came, they would have carried it out. They probably can't tell you whether they would have carried it out. We have too many adults, who, even after they've killed somebody, can't figure out, 'Well how did that happen, how did I do that? I didn't really mean to do that when I pulled the gun on him.'

"But what we decided as law enforcement as we looked at those facts was that we couldn't wait for that determination."

The Gulf Shores attack, prosecutors have claimed, was to be carried out April 20 this year, the same day that Meredith originally planned to release "Grisly Underground 2," according to Web sites he uses to promote and show his short films.

But there is a simple explanation for the movies release date...

Marty Majors, 31, a Foley man whose stepdaughters are friends with Meredith, has come to the teens' defense. In an e-mail to the Press-Register, he recounted a version of events told to him by a Gulf Shores student he works with.

"The whole story started very innocently," Majors wrote.

He said the 15-year-old was talking with another student in a morning class about the upcoming release of Meredith's new horror film. The teen, according to Majors, explained the significance of April 20, the release date, being the Columbine anniversary.

"So the other student then sarcastically asked, 'So what are you going to do? Shoot up the school?' The 15-year-old of course said 'no,'" Majors wrote. All the while, Majors wrote, another student was listening and "went crying home to her mom and said some kids were going to attack the school." The mother, according to Majors, called police.

Majors' stepdaughter, Erica Brown, 16, agreed in an interview that Meredith intentionally released his movies with particular dates in mind. "Grisly Underground" debuted Jan. 13, a Friday. Besides choosing April 20, a date shared by the Columbine anniversary and Hitler's birthday, for the initial showings of "Grisly Underground 2," he wanted to issue another movie on June 6, 2006, which, in numerology, translates to 666, a number that readers of Bible prophecy know as the "Mark of the Beast."

How is that any different from big budget horror movies being released on a Friday the 13th or Halloween?

And again the D.A. hasn't been very forthcoming with details...

"In this particular case, without going into facts, I will tell you there were statements made, there were threats made and there have been overt, documented acts both through the computer, paper and witnessed actions that this was more than just two students making idle threats."

Yet none of that information has yet to be made public.

This sounds like nothing more than small town mentality run amok. If this had happened in New York or Atlanta this wouldn't even be an issue. But since it happened in a small town where Joe Meredith doesn't fit into their preconceived concepts of "normal" he's being made a scapegoat of a plot that more than likely was made up in the minds of local busybodies and clueless law enforcement.

The longer the D.A.'s office doesn't release details the more I believe that they have no case.

I have been in contact with someone very close to the situation in Gulf Shores and they gave me information that is not being printed in the media. The information I received was from an adult so it's not like I'm getting this from a kid who overheard two girls talking about it in chem class.

Police say that Joe Meredith had plans to kill a family member. What my source tells me is that on Joe's computer police found was a screenplay about a 17-year-old who hates his grandfather because he wouldn't get him a car and hates him enough to kill him. Does that sound like a plot to attack the school to you? Because it sure doesn't sound like one to me.

Police and prosecutors also say that the 15-year-old had “taken some actions in the furtherance of that plot” but declined to say what those actions were. According to my source one of the escape route maps from the school went missing but has not been found on either suspect or their homes. That's their "furtherance of that plot"?

It's starting to sound more and more like the police have no case.

Parents assured schools are safe:
Last night was the town meeting about the alleged plot against Gulf Shores High School in Alabama. It was supposed to be to clarify rumors going on about the situation...

Among the erroneous rumors Newcomb sought to dispel Thursday: that Meredith had escaped from his house arrest, that the students had a "hit list" naming specific students they would target in an attack, and that the charges stem solely from the tattling of a student who overheard and distorted a conversation.

But you know what is missing from this article and every other article that I've read about the Gulf Shores plot? I've heard why people think that this isn't an actual plot. But I have yet to hear any real good information from police on why they think it is. I mean they've said that Joe Meredith and his younger friend planned to attack the school on April 20th and that Joe Meredith allegedly planned to kill a family member and that the 15-year-old took "overt steps" to planning an assault but I have yet to hear what any of those things were. I know police want to keep some details out of the press so a jury pool isn't tainted but usually on these cases the police announce immediately what was seized and found. All we've been hearing from police and prosecutors are vague accusations.

Not only that, I don't remember if I mentioned this before, but Joe’s Myspace doesn't look like your typical would be school shooter's MySpace. It doesn't say anything about him hating people, or wanting to kill people, or pages upon pages of your normal teen angst I've come to expect from the mutants. This was a MySpace that had pictures of Pokemon on it and Joe actually looked like he was gasp smiling. Yes it did have some horror movie graphics on it but so what? He's a kid that likes to make horror movies.

So until I hear more conclusive evidence from police you can count me in as part of the "Free Joe" camp.

As always it was your pleasure.

The supporters of Joe Meredith, one of the teens accused of plotting an attack against Gulf Shores High School in Alabama, have set up a MySpace account proclaiming his innocence. It's called simply enough Free Joe.

Crossposted at MyCrimeSpace.

Meeting on threats set for tonight:
A town meeting has been scheduled for 6PM CST tonight in Alabama to dispel the rumors surrounding the alleged Gulf Shores High plot. If it's anything like the comments I've been receiving there are tons of rumors floating around.

One such rumor...

One erroneous rumor circulating Wednesday was that Meredith had slipped away from the Orange Beach home where he is confined, Newcomb said. As a result of such gossip, police have told Newcomb that parents are threatening to remove their children from local schools.

Once I have more information I will let you know.

One teen held in jail, one on house arrest:
More news on the proceedings involving the Gulf Shores High plot in Alabama. The 15-year-old suspect involved has been placed under house arrest and is required to wear a monitoring device. Meanwhile the named suspect, Joseph Scott Meredith, is being held in jail.

Also it seems like that defense attorneys read my site for defense strategy advice...

Ken Raines, a Bay Minette attorney representing Joseph Scott Meredith, 17, the older of the two teens, suggested that the plots authorities alleged were movie scripts his client wrote and never intended to be carried out.

"This boy's been writing movie manuscripts since he was 8," Raines said. "I'm just not sure he's the only one who's using his imagination here. I've got some enormous concerns about whether there's a legitimate charge here or not. I plan on doing a thorough check to begin to figure out fiction from fantasy here, to make sure that this is real or imagination, and whose imagination is it."

I have the same concerns myself however the prosecution has some pretty bold allegations...

Baldwin County District Attorney Judy Newcomb said investigators found evidence that Meredith also wanted to kill a family member.

Newcomb added that Meredith and the younger teen had "taken some actions in the furtherance of that plot" to carry out killings at the school but wouldn't indicate what those actions were.

Computer hard drives were seized from both students but again prosecutors would not elaborate what was found on them.

I'm still on the fence on this one until I hear more from the prosecution about what actions did the younger teen take to further the plot and what was found on the hard drives.

More on this as it develops.

Teens charged with planning school attack:
We have more news out of Gulf Shores High in Alabama. I originally thought that this was just another threat but it seems there may be more to it than that. More on that a little later.

First we have a name of one of the suspects. He is 16-year-old Joseph Scott Meredith. He is being charged as an adult for conspiracy to commit murder...

Under state law, teens 16 years or older can be treated as adults when charged with Class A felonies, such as conspiracy to commit murder.

The other student, a 15-year-old, is remaining unnamed due to his juvenile status. That's not keeping his lawyer from talking though...

Pascal Bruijn, the Fairhope-based lawyer for the younger teen, has said that though his client made "inappropriate statements" that he now knows should not have been made, he is not a threat to anyone.

Mr. Brujin also left me a comment claiming that information printed in the original article by the Associated Press was incorrect on some points.

Now on to the plot. Originally it was reported that one of students spoke of killing classmates on, of course, April 20th. According to Baldwin County District Attorney David Whetstone there was more to it than that...

The alleged threat to kill classmates was "more than the mere chatter of children," Whetstone said. "This had some substance, some meat to it, some plans to it and at least one overt step toward completion."

Whatever that overt step was it has yet to be revealed.

This is the MySpace account for Joe Meredith. Well, at least A Joe Meredith who happens to attend Gulf Shores High. If this is in fact his MySpace then I can already see a possible defense. Joe Meredith made a homemade slasher movie called "Grisly Underground". Could it be that other students and law enforcement mistook his film making ideas as a possible plot against his school? We'll just have to wait and see.

Teen charged with making terrorist threats at Gulf Shores school:
One 15-year-old student has been expelled and arrested and another has been suspended in relation to a threat made at Gulf Shores High School in Alabama...

Some local students have told WPMI-TV 15 that the arrested student spoke of killing Jewish classmates on April 20, the anniversary of the 1999 Columbine High School shooting in Colorado. That date is the birthday of Adolf Hitler, the Nazi leader in Germany in World War II.

Gulf Coast Newspapers, which publishes twice a week in Baldwin County, also reported that school officials found Nazi swastikas in the lockers of both students. Knight declined to comment about what was recovered by police.

One more mutant off the streets.