JSO arrests "SIMON", major graffiti vandel.

Dog Walker · March 26, 2011, 05:50:56 PM

Senior moment!

Of course it was Shawn Thurston. I was admiring the mural and looking at the signature just yesterday afternoon too. Jeesch! OAIH!

In any case, the era of Jacksonville's free wall is over.

The complete lack of respect that these jerks show for the businesses in 5 Points that are the reason they are IN 5 Points just pushes all my bad buttons. Here are small businesses that are fighting to keep their heads above water and add to the wonderful energy and bohemian atmosphere that is 5 Points. The punks then do their doodles on every available surface, and the City comes along and hits the same businesses with a $250 citation for not removing the stuff fast enough. Twice victimized! And it happens over and over again.

We will have to agree to disagree. IMO, there are no graffiti artists in Jacksonville, just graffiti vandals who will never be a positive. There are many, many fantastic artists here, but they don't deface other peoples property.

buckethead · March 26, 2011, 05:57:06 PM

I agree that it is, and should be a criminal offense to vandalize public or private property, including Tagging a wall.

Still, I've seen some pretty awesome graffiti. An artist will usually be granted permission, or even paid for his/her services.

Not sure what to think about the free wall and how it might affect the proliferation of taggers adding to the ugly.

Dog Walker · March 26, 2011, 06:04:43 PM

Shawn Thurston is an superb artist who creates his murals on walls with spray paints. He gets paid pretty well for doing so and his patrons provide his "canvas".

Other than using spray paint, he has nothing in common with the people we are having problems with in 5 Points.

Dog Walker · May 25, 2011, 02:14:27 PM

Quote from: Timkin on March 25, 2011, 05:51:47 PM
YaY!!!!!!! Now if they could get the taggers "Sike" and "Atari" ........ I think these two characters have tagged on just about every side of the city.. for sure they have tagged the Parkview Inn, various spots in the Regency and down town areas .

SIKE, on of the most prolific and damaging tagger (graffiti vandal) in the city was arrested on May 5 and remains in Duval County Jail. His name is Kenneth Richard Bell, 23. He has tagged hundreds and hundreds of building, signs, churches and traffic control structures.

He is charged with 11 counts of felony criminal mischief for which his bond is $50,000 per count and 23 counts of misdemeanor criminal mischief for which his bond is $25,000 per count so his total bond is $1.1 million dollars. He obviously won't get out of jail before his trial.

It is clear that the States Attorneys Office under Angela Corey is taking a MUCH harder line against graffiti vandals than her predecessor did.

Timkin · May 25, 2011, 03:47:28 PM

well well !!

DEFINITELY an "atta boy" to JSO for finally getting this guy. Wonder where his sidekick , Atari is ? Usually where you see one tag, you the the other

Good job , JSO !

ChriswUfGator · May 25, 2011, 06:12:17 PM

A million-dollar bond for a 20/yo graffiti vandal? I hate these !@#%s too, but come on, that's ridiculous and cruel.

You could *literally* kill someone and be granted a lower bond...

Timkin · May 25, 2011, 06:27:18 PM

Quote from: ChriswUfGator on May 25, 2011, 06:12:17 PM
A million-dollar bond for a 20/yo graffiti vandal? I hate these !@#%s too, but come on, that's ridiculous and cruel.

You could *literally* kill someone and be granted a lower bond...

That does seem a bit over the top .. I wonder what kind of sentence this kid will end up with? and if he is done tagging

DavidWilliams · May 25, 2011, 06:42:50 PM

That bond amazed me.....Draconian

Non-RedNeck Westsider · May 25, 2011, 09:23:22 PM

Wow!

You guys crucify the guy on one hand and then when the punishment is metered, you think that it's too cruel. Oh wait!!!!! He hasn't been punished yet. The judge only set a bond, based on the crime that he was accused of, that he had the option of paying (about 110K to a bailbondsman) or sitting in jail until his court date.

I don't see the issue here. The guy is accused of tagging up shit all over j'ville, but when the judge makes it nearly impossible for him to get out of jail before his trial, then some of you raise hell.

Let him sit in jail for a few days/weeks, take his plea bargain and get back to tagging shit. It's not going to be life altering, just an inconvenience.

DavidWilliams · May 25, 2011, 09:46:13 PM

I find a bond of over a million dollars pretty bizarre for a non-violent crime...yes I understand the counts and how it all works...and yes some of these little punks are a pain in the ass and cause property damage...but really...wow

ChriswUfGator · May 25, 2011, 09:55:16 PM

I remember a situation involving 5...count 'em...5 capital felonies, including sexual battery on a child under 13. Bond was set at $500k total and frankly we all thought that was outrageously high. This kid only spray-painted stuff, and draws $1.1mm? Seriously? Just seems grossly disproportionate, and likely violative of his constitutional rights. He is constitutionally entitled to a non-excessive bond.

Non-RedNeck Westsider · May 25, 2011, 09:57:27 PM

CWUFG - you're the attorney here. If someone racked up 50 charges of a class 3 possession, wouldn't the bail be jacked up from ROR to 1M just because of the frequency and lack of respect of the law.

I don't think it matters what the crime actually is, but if you get caught enough, you eventually have to pay the piper so to speak.

And once again, it's a bond. It's not something that he HAS to pay. I would have been singing an entirely different story if it was his FINE.

Non-RedNeck Westsider · May 25, 2011, 10:01:21 PM

Another question left unanswered is when his trial is. If the bond's been set, he's been to an arrainment, probably without an attorney, court appointed or otherwise because he thought he was going to get off until trial. So he has to sit in jail for a month because he's a cocky ass (I say that based on what I've read about his actions, not what I actually know about the person) and he's the one that set himself up for it.

How many times have you sat in court, only to watch someone give themselves jailtime because they didn't have someone arguing their case for them?

Ralph W · May 25, 2011, 11:55:49 PM

Somebody had to clean up the mess he made. Often it's a forced cleanup when Code Compliance comes around and says, "Do it, or else." At the least, his bond should be the sum of all those cleanup costs plus court and incarceration costs and a penalty for doing wrong. Then, when he's legally found guilty, the fine should be the same. If he can't come up with the fine then he cools his heels in jail for a while (which adds to his final bill) and then becomes an indentured servant to the city to be a one man cleanup crew for all the graffiti we can find.

Timkin · May 26, 2011, 01:06:10 AM

Alot of his masterpieces have had to be covered over by the building owner. Go to the Parkview (luckily for him , it is getting demolished) he has at least a dozen VISIBLE tags there.. I can take you to at least a dozen in the Southside. I hope he DOES have to clean them up as part of his sentencing. In any event , if this doesnt fix his attitude that doing this is cool, most likely , nothing will.