Utah Man Posts Facebook Updates During SWAT Standoff, Gets Help From Online Friends
By Rebecca BoylePosted 06.22.2011 at 1:38 pm8 Comments



A Utah man involved in a 16-hour standoff with police Friday night posted status updates about the ordeal on Facebook, sharing photos of himself with the woman police said he had taken hostage. He even got some help from his friends, who could now face charges of obstructing justice, according to the Associated Press.
One Facebook user warned Jason Valdez that a SWAT officer was hiding in the bushes outside the motel room where he was holed up with a hostage.
“Thank you homie,” Valdez replied. “Good looking out.”
Valdez, 36, is in critical condition after shooting himself in the chest as SWAT officers stormed his hotel room, according to the AP.
Valdez was charged with drug possession back in March, and a judge issued a warrant for his arrest when he didn’t show up for court June 1. Police tried to serve him with a felony drug warrant Friday afternoon, and he barricaded himself inside the Western Colony Inn in Ogden, AP said. He said he was with a woman named Veronica, who police described as a hostage.
His first Facebook post, updated at 11:23 p.m. Friday, reads in part: “I'm currently in a standoff ... kinda ugly, but ready for whatever. I love u guyz and if I don't make it out of here alive that I'm in a better place and u were all great friends.”
In all, he posted six updates, including pictures of himself and Veronica. He received more than 100 comments from family and friends, many of whom pleaded with him to “do the right thing,” AP notes. Others offered words of support, even “liking” his update about shooting at police. Click through to the AP's account for a full re-telling of the tale.
Now the police are debating whether to charge any of his friends with obstruction of justice for hampering a police investigation. His friends' responses, including words of support and details about the scene, gave him an advantage, police said.
This could be a new realm for law enforcement and attorneys — how do you file charges for activity that happened in an online setting?
"We're not sure yet how to deal with it," said Ogden Lt. Danielle Croyle.

Utah Man Posts Facebook Updates During SWAT Standoff, Gets Help From Online Friends | Popular Science

what bullshit, his friends did nothing wrong talking to him. The place can't expect total advantage all the time.

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Give unto Caesar that what is Caesar's, and lie like hell to keep as much of the rest of your shit as you can.

"If you want something said ask a man...if you want something done, ask a woman" Margaret Thatcher

This is all strangely cyberpunky - universal surveillance type thing, moving out of the realm of exclusivity for governmental agencies and becoming available to all. Combine this with real-time google earth, streetview, augmented reality, all of which are at least immature but live technologies, and you get to the point where being in this sort of scenrio will approach a synthesis between real life and being in a game.Something that borders on Frozen Synapse:

YouTube - ‪Frozen Synapse Gameplay Trailer [HD]‬‏

Originally Posted by LiberalNation

what bullshit, his friends did nothing wrong talking to him.

?!

Quote:

The police can't expect total advantage all the time.

I can't remember. Did you have the same attitude when people were accused of spilling military "secrets" that might, maybe, possibly, remotely (in some lala land) endanger soldiers' lives?

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Different.......

__________________
Give unto Caesar that what is Caesar's, and lie like hell to keep as much of the rest of your shit as you can.

"If you want something said ask a man...if you want something done, ask a woman" Margaret Thatcher

Yeah, because you might get a bullet in the arse in that case.

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What the lady said...

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Unless otherwise specified, I am posting as a regular poster. When I will act as a mod, I'll make sure you're in no doubt.